Chelsea Resident Raises Traffic Concerns with New Housing Development

By Matt Rosentreter

Chelsea resident Linda Frank raised concerns regarding traffic at the intersection of W. Old US Highway 12, Taylor St. and Old Manchester Rd. at Chelsea’s Nov. 3 city council meeting. With a new housing development planned for Old Manchester Rd., Frank requested the placement of a flashing beacon sign at the intersection to increase safety for drivers and residents.

“This will be helpful for pedestrians crossing for fairground events, as well as children who’d be using the crosswalk when the housing project is completed, if it ends up being there,” Frank said.

Housing developments have been proposed as a way to increase the affordability of living in Chelsea for local workers, which would reduce traffic congestion for those who commute to and from Chelsea for work. However, several citizens before Frank have raised concerns in previous council meetings about increased traffic on Old Manchester Rd.

“While I appreciate the need for affordable or workforce housing, I do have questions,” Chelsea resident Judy Oak said at the Sept. 2 meeting. “I have concerns about the impact on the city’s infrastructure and the traffic and safety with the proposed development.”

After Frank’s discussion item was presented at the November meeting, interim City Manager Marc Thompson stated that traffic signs are a manageable project and are likely something that the city could look into to address citizen concerns.

“I don’t want to create an expectation that you’re going to keep people out there tomorrow doing something because that would be inappropriate,” Thompson said. “But as I said, we’re in the safety business here, and so your concerns are concerns that we’ll take seriously and come back and try and make the right decision to make sure that people can cross the street safely and drivers and pedestrians can coexist.”