This Day in Norwood History-January 27, 1949-Ask Study Of Connecting Highway In South Norwood

Town Meeting Article To Request Committee Be Named By Moderator

The construction of a South Norwood highway which would cut from Walpole street into Washington street and thence over to the Providence Highway, a project which has been under discussion for the past ten tears and in 1938 came before two special town meetings will again be placed before the townspeople in March following a recommendation made Tuesday night by the Planning Board to the Board of Selectmen.

The Planning Board will ask that the Town Moderator appoint a committee of seven men one of them a Planning Board member to make a thorough study of the various plans for this highway that have been made in the past All information available — and there exist various plans, dating back to 1909 — will be scrutinized by this committee, which will place as its main objective the choice of the best route.

At the same time, the Planning Board will confer with the Finance Commission on the advisability of asking the appropriation of some money for the use of this committee to cover such costs as clerical. Lester Lechter, in discussing the matter with the Selectmen, mentioned the sum of $500, which may be sought in an appropriation.

Would Reverse Plan

About seveny¿cars ago Lechter said it was proposed to build the highway from Route 1 to Washington street and thence to Walpole street. Lechter said that he thought it should be built from Walpole street to Washington street first thus giving access to South Norwood for tannery workers as well as access to the Senior High School from South Norwood.

The proposed highway was accepted at a special town meeting in 1938. At that time it was voted in as a Chapter 90 construction whereby the State would bear expenses with the town. The beginning of the war ended the project.

Among the routes which have been suggested in the past have been cutting down from the circle near Willett s pond thence into South Norwood also via St Paul avenue which Selectman Harry B Butters, said would eliminate the most traffic. Before the war it was estimated that the new highway would cost $600,000, Selectman Sture Nelson said, adding that it was generally thought that the cost exceeded the advantages to be gained.

The present entrances into South Norwood, from Chapel street around a hairpin turn and under the trestle, or by way of a foot underpath on Cedar street, are both considered dangerous and unsatisfactory.

Last November, South Norwood residents again brought up the subject of the long-sought highway, renewing their demands for its construction. The committee to be appointed will work with South Norwood organizations and citizens on the best routing of the highway. General Manager Edward C. Monahan and Selectman Harry B. Butters both said that the present heavy workload of the Engineering Department would prevent that Department from doing the work on the highway, although Mr. Monahan added that the Engineering Department would give fullest cooperation to the committee on available information on the proposed road.