Town to Study Washington/Central/Linden Traffic ‘Loop’ Signals

The town’s traffic engineer will study traffic signals in the town’s “loop” beginning next year, as decided at Monday’s Special Town Meeting.

Town Meeting appropriated $34,800 from parking meter receipts to fund an evaluation of traffic signal timing in the town’s traffic loop, a system of 12 networked signals at intersections which run between the Route 16/Route 9 bridge at the Wellesley Community Center to and along Kingsbury and Linden streets. The study is directed toward finding deficiencies in signal timing, according to Advisory Committee reports.

Beta Engineering will analyze information stored in the software that operates the system and turning movements at six of the loop’s intersections – which include Washington Street and Cliff Road, Washington Street and Route 9 (east and west off ramps), and others on Linden Street, Selectwoman Barbara Searle said at the meeting.

Beta will also evaluate the lights during peak traffic times, Searle said.

Searle provided an e-mail address (traffic@wellesleyma.gov) so that the public can provide suggestions for improvements.

“I know everyone has a story about their experience on the loop, as do I,” she said.

The study should take about six months and will be complete by next spring, Searle said.