Selectmen Approve Upland Road and Clapboardtree Street Infrastructure Project-July 13, 1971

In a meeting held on July 12, 1971, the Norwood Board of Selectmen granted unanimous approval for an extensive infrastructure and traffic improvement project for the intersection of Upland Road and Clapboardtree Street. The proposed project, estimated at $750,000, sought to address long-standing traffic congestion and safety concerns in the area. The plan included the construction of a three-phase intersection with dedicated left-turn storage lanes for both directions, as well as the addition of pedestrian sidewalks. A major component of the project involved raising the local railroad bridge from 12 to 14.5 feet and removing center posts to accommodate larger vehicle passage. Additionally, the grade of Upland Road was to be lowered by three feet to facilitate a safer transition into Clapboardtree Street. The proposal was forwarded to state consulting engineers for consideration under the Chapter 90 funding framework, marking a significant step toward regional infrastructure modernization.

Beyond the roadwork, the selectmen addressed a series of pressing municipal issues, most notably a regulatory crisis concerning the town dump. Having been notified by the state Department of Public Health (DPH) that the dump failed to meet new sanitary regulations—which mandated specific facilities, a communication system, and a detailed site plan—the board declared an emergency. This declaration allowed the town to extend its current dump contract by 90 days, providing the necessary window for Town Manager Walter A. Blasenak to negotiate a compliance plan with state officials. Blasenak emphasized that the town must demonstrate an “intent to comply” to avoid further penalties or the imposition of state-run management.

Financial management also featured prominently during the session, as the selectmen and the Norwood Board of Assessors debated a proposal to utilize $300,000 in Municipal Light Department receipts to offset the tax rate. Town Manager Blasenak projected that using these funds, combined with other year-end receipts, could potentially lower the tax rate from the 1970 figure of $102 per thousand. Despite some initial hesitation regarding the use of utility revenues for general tax relief, the board passed the motion unanimously, with Selectman Joseph Wall describing it as “the best of all evils” given the fiscal pressures facing the town. The meeting concluded with the board addressing various secondary matters, including noise and traffic complaints concerning Choppers Unlimited, a motorcycle repair firm on Morse Hill, and the scheduling of Little League Tag Days.

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