HADLEY — Drivers traveling on Middle Street in town center should soon be able to make right turns on red lights onto Route 9.
The state’s Department of Transportation recently informed Hadley officials that it has agreed to an appeal from the Select Board, made in October, to remove the “no turn on red” signs for southbound traffic on Middle Street, also known as state Route 47.
Members of the Select Board asked for the adjustment as part of a strategy to encourage drivers, especially commuters between Amherst and Northampton, to stay on the roads maintained by the state, rather than use an alternate route along North Lane and the dike, and West Street, Cemetery Road and Cross Path Road.
“We’ll take this small win,” Select Board Chairman David J. Fill II said at last week’s meeting.
The ban on right turns when there is a red light will also likely be lifted for northbound traffic on Middle Street, though the communication from the state indicated that the state DOT first wants shrubs and a fence that had surrounded the perimeter of the Russell School building removed. Fill noted that the town’s Department of Public Works already took these down to improve the sightlines.
Meanwhile, the DOT provided additional information about the planned Route 9 widening project scheduled to begin late next year. The $26.16 million project is supposed to extend 2.4 miles on Route 9, from Middle Street east to South Maple Street, and encompass a half-mile of both South Maple and North Maple streets next to the malls and the Home Depot shopping complex. In addition to widening Route 9 to four lanes of traffic, there would be dedicated turning lanes at intersections.
The Select Board learned from the state the amount of pavement planned for the intersection of East Street and Route 9 is being reduced, which will lessen the impact on businesses there, such as the Easthampton Savings Bank branch.
New bus stops planned will also be able to adhere to town standards. Fill said the idea is for the glass and steel, “city-style” bus stops to better fit with the requirements of the historic overlay district along Route 9.
But the state DOT informed the town that when the Route 9 work begins it won’t be able to do a significant amount of work in the evening or overnight, as the Select Board requested.
