Milton council tables one-way street measure

Milton Town Council has tabled a measure that would have made five streets into one-way streets after residents opposed the proposal.

Council remanded the matter to the streets, sidewalks and parks committee for further review.

Before the council Oct. 7 was a plan to turn Manship, Sand, Church, Clifton and Poplar streets into one-way streets.  Manship and Sand streets would run toward Federal Street and Church and Poplar streets would run toward Chestnut Street. Clifton Street, on the other end of town, would run from Union Street to Mulberry Street. The new street pattern was intended to resemble a ladder or grid. The committee has said the recommendations are to improve safety. Hazzard Lane was also supposed to be included in the proposal but the street name was noted wrong on the agenda so it was deleted, although there are still plans to make the street one way.

Citizens living near the streets, particularly the four streets near Dogfish Head Brewery, had their own ideas for the streets.

Mal Meehan, co-owner of Inn The Doghouse at Chestnut and Sand streets, suggested flipping the one-way direction of Sand Street, so it would go toward Chestnut. He said the opening at Federal Street is much wider and the houses are set back farther from the roadway, making it easier to make the turn onto Sand Street from there. Sand Street is currently a two-way street. 

Councilman Emory West, chairman of the streets committee, said there have been a number of near accidents at Inn The Doghouse because two cars cannot pass by on that street and the vision turning onto Chestnut Street is limited. 

Joanie Martin-Brown, 415 Federal St., who lives near Short’s Funeral Home, said two-way traffic on Manship Street works because it helps traffic flow when there is a funeral. She said Federal Street has become much more congested with people driving out of Milton heading either towards Route 9 or Route 16 on the way to the beach. Martin-Brown said Manship Street has become a safety valve for people looking to avoid backups. 

“There’s an old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’” she said.

Jeff Seemans, 412 Chestnut St., said he was fine with the current status quo because it is rare that two cars try to pass by at the same time. He said if council wanted to make Manship one-way, it should go from Federal to Chestnut because Chestnut offers a better view of traffic. 

Michael Danker, 418 Chestnut St., which is next to Manship Street, said he likes the street as it is. He said as a two-way street, motorists are more aware to go slow; if it were one way, drivers might go faster because they do not have to worry about traffic coming the other way. 

Fred Pepper, a resident of Poplar Street, said he also supports the status quo.

“There’s not a problem that I can see,” he said. 

Sensing that the measure lacked public support, council agreed to table discussion for further study by the streets committee.