In the outlying districts of the Town where new houses and new streets are springing up, the individual land owners have used and are still using customary skill and foresight in the planning of individual lots to meet the desires of house builders and to make the lots accessible from the local streets of these subdivisions. Each of these schemes of lots and streets is of course limited in its extent and layout by the size of the tract under development, and by the position of boundary lines which often cramp the position of streets. Evidently the cramped streets of one tract cannot be made to connect with the streets of nearby tracts unless intervening owners co-operate to secure these connections. Co-operation of this kind in Norwood as in other towns and cities has proved to be impracticable and consequently the growth of the community is taking place in patchwork. The confusion of patchwork growth has carried with it in all parts of the Commonwealth great waste of public monies for subsequent street extensions and widenings in the attempt to bring out of this chaos of local streets a sufficient number of reasonably direct through streets for the convenience of the townspeople and for the administration of the Town. Without a rational plan of streets, an economical system of water mains and sewers cannot be installed, an efficient fire service cannot be maintained without duplication of apparatus, economical policing cannot be provided without patrols of roundabout course, and connection for pleasure or business traffic cannot be found without aggravating detours and dangerous bends and jogs. To reduce the waste of this prevailing type of town and city growth, the state has provided for the appointment of Planning Boards. In Norwood the Planning Board proposes for the convenience of individual lot owners and for the welfare of the Town as a whole, the system of north-south through streets shown on the accompanying map. These through lines connect as far as possible, fragments of local streets already built and also determine the location of future through lines. Six through streets and diagonals of this type are proposed, making, with the four existing thoroughfares, a total of ten north-south thoroughfares.
1923 Norwood Planning Board Report
This Day In Norwood History-May 19, 1923-Planning Board Has Done Excellent Work
NORWOOD TOWN NOW BEAUTIFUL NORWOOD, May 19—The marked improvement in the physical appearance of the town of Norwood, since the establishment of a Planning Board, here, as well as the pride and interest which its townspeople have in the civic…
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD TO THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN 1923
Published and Presented With the Compliments of George F. WillettChairman Town Planning Board1912 – 1923 Report of ARTHUR A. SHURTLEFF, Town Planner SUPPLEMENTARY REPORTS :Zoning, by JOHN P. FOX, ConsultantCivic Center, by HARRY J. CARLSON, ArchitectandLegal Aspects, by FLAVEL SHURTLEFF,…
1923 Planning Board Report-Plan for the Vicinity of Center of the Town
The plan on pages 20 and 21 for the center of Norwood is an integral part of the general plan proposed for the Town as a whole. The development of the center cannot be considered separately from the development of…
1923 Planning Board Report-Vicinity of High Bridge
The complicated and dangerous arrangement of roadways, railway tracks for electric and steam cars, in combination with a narrow underpass in the High Bridge district illustrates forcibly the costly results of allowing important road junctions to “happen by chance.” It…
1923 Planning Board Report-Streets Near Norwood Railroad Station
In the course of the general program of the state for the abolishment of railway grade crossings, the present dangerous crossing at Railroad Avenue will be abolished. This work should be undertaken, however, not only with an eye to the…
1923 Planning Board Report-Proposed Additional East-West Through Streets and Diagonals
In the wide interspaces between the existing east-west thoroughfares there are many local streets already built, and many more contemplated or actually under construction. Gradually, in a long term of years, all these wild lands will be traversed by roads…
1923 Planning Board Report-Existing North-South Through Streets
The existing through streets of Norwood, as shown above, were laid out in times before the construction of the steam railroads, before the large industries were established, and, of course, long before the development of modern housing and the beginnings…
1923 Planning Board Report-Development of Clark Swamp District
The built-up area of Norwood is gradually approaching the margins of the Clark Swamp district. Under good or bad planning this entire neighborhood is destined to be crossed by streets and built up with dwellings. The cost of this work…
This Day in Norwood History-January 22, 1948-Norwood 25 Years Ahead Of Dedham In Master Planning
But Many Phases Of Shurcliff Report Never Carried Out Here The neighboring town of Dedham has received the spotlight of publicity since the appearance, four weeks ago, of an Attractive 100-page booklet, profusely illustrated with diagrams, maps, statistical charts, and…
1923 Planning Board Report-Schools, Parks and Playgrounds
On the accompanying map are shown the public schools of Norwood. They are grouped most closely near the center of the Town with scattered buildings on the outskirts. Evidently school locations will follow the centers of new growth, but the…