To: Mayor Theken
Tally's Corner Rotary Proposal
We petition Gloucester’s Mayor Theken to withdraw the Tally’s Corner Rotary proposal request for State funding prior to the State's October 15th identified deadline for further city action.
Why is this important?
• The City DPW and Community Development departments have advanced this project devoid of meeting the State policy requirement to consult and collaborate with affected businesses, residents, other City departments or State Agencies throughout the planning process.
• Freight operation is not a considered criteria of the plan. Tractor trailers, large emergency equipment, and passenger buses will not be able to safely negotiate the small-scale rotary from all directions.
• The City Council believed their vote of approval endorsed the State’s Complete Streets program and in a subsequent phase a list of priority projects, with a focus on safety around schools, would be developed.
• Repeated requests by the public for crash data and documents that have been submitted to the State have gone unanswered.
• The 2012 hotel traffic study did not recommend a rotary or major reconfiguration, merely some lane markings and signage. Crash data for Tally’s corner shows it to be lower than the State average.
• This plan impedes the iconic view of Harbor Cove and the working waterfront when the program provides for context sensitive approaches. Harbor Cove and Tally’s Corner have been identified in a Heritage Landscape report submitted to the State as part of the City’s cultural and aesthetic landscape to be preserved.
• Freight operation is not a considered criteria of the plan. Tractor trailers, large emergency equipment, and passenger buses will not be able to safely negotiate the small-scale rotary from all directions.
• The City Council believed their vote of approval endorsed the State’s Complete Streets program and in a subsequent phase a list of priority projects, with a focus on safety around schools, would be developed.
• Repeated requests by the public for crash data and documents that have been submitted to the State have gone unanswered.
• The 2012 hotel traffic study did not recommend a rotary or major reconfiguration, merely some lane markings and signage. Crash data for Tally’s corner shows it to be lower than the State average.
• This plan impedes the iconic view of Harbor Cove and the working waterfront when the program provides for context sensitive approaches. Harbor Cove and Tally’s Corner have been identified in a Heritage Landscape report submitted to the State as part of the City’s cultural and aesthetic landscape to be preserved.