State Approves Traffic Barrier to Block East Cross Street Access from Route 1-August 12, 1988

Residents upset about traffic on East Cross Street have won a decision from the state to block cars and trucks using their road as a shortcut from Route 1 to Neponset Street. East Cross Street is sandwiched between the two major roads, and high-speed traffic has used the connector for several years, said Joseph Burke of 232 E. Cross St. “It was horrible,” said Burke. “People would come racing down at 50 or 60 miles per hour. You couldn’t get in or out of your driveway. I would get so mad. People were sick of it.”

When 13-year-old Terrence Murphy was hit by a speeding car in June while riding his bicycle on East Cross Street, residents collected 176 signatures on a petition and enlisted help from state Rep. Gregory Sullivan, D-Norwood. State Department of Public Works Commissioner Jane Garvey signed a permit yesterday to build a barrier where East Cross Street meets Route 1. The barrier will prevent northbound traffic on Route 1 from turning into the residential street, said Sullivan. Traffic on East Cross Street will be one-way from Neponset Street toward Route 1. Construction of the barrier, which will be high curbing around a triangular island of grass, will begin sometime this summer.

Burke said he was happy with the decision and will pass on the good news to residents in the 18 homes along East Cross Street. “It feels great,” he said. “You know people were annoyed with the problem for so long but nobody thought they could do anything about it. Well, we did. We finally did.” (Reporting by Lyndsey Layton for The Patriot Ledger).

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