Only Two Norwood Intersections Qualify for Right Turns on Red Under New State Law-October 3, 1979

When Massachusetts’ new right-turn-on-red law officially takes effect on January 1, motorists across Norwood will find that the maneuver is prohibited at nearly every major intersection in town.

Survey Limits Right-on-Red to Two Locations

Town Manager John J. Carroll informed the Board of Selectmen last night that a comprehensive survey of 16 local intersections revealed that only two meet strict state safety requirements to permit turning right against a red light:

• Winter Street and Walpole Street
• Walnut Street and Walpole Street

Under guidelines issued by the state Department of Public Works, right turns on red must be prohibited wherever specific hazards or traffic complexities exist, including intersections with more than four approaches, railway crossings or fire pre-emption systems, exclusive pedestrian signals, school children crosswalks, conflicting arrow indications, or tight turning radiuses where a left turn immediately follows.

Signage and Local Reaction

Because the default state law assumes right-on-red is permissible unless otherwise posted, the state Department of Public Works will supply prohibitory signs to be erected at the remaining 14 surveyed intersections across town.

Commenting on the cumbersome requirement to install restrictive signage at the vast majority of local crossings, Selectman William J. Plasko dryly remarked, “Well, they’ve done it again.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger