Stow Police Department Announces Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, Invites Residents to Submit Feedback

STOW — Chief Michael Sallese wishes to inform the community that a newly formed Traffic Safety Advisory Committee is seeking input from residents to help identify traffic issues and to find solutions. The committee will serve as an advisory group that can receive all requests and suggestions for traffic safety improvement in the Town of Stow, and evaluate and recommend to the Town Administrator and Select Board various approaches that could be used to create safer and more livable neighborhoods through efforts to reduce speeding and unnecessary traffic on neighborhood roads. Residents may submit reports to the committee via an online form on the town’s website. The committee will then review resident concerns that apply to town-maintained, residential streets, and invite residents to a TSAC meeting for further discussion. The committee will also review issues on Route 117 and Route 62. “Members of our community have an understanding of how traffic impacts their neighborhoods, so it is important that we hear their feedback and take it under consideration,” Chief Sallese said. “I’m hopeful that residents will take advantage of the opportunity to provide feedback so we can ensure we’re doing all we can to make our town roads safer.” The committee will determine what additional information needs to be gathered, work to develop a plan of action in conjunction with the Police Department, Planning Department, and others, conduct public hearings, and invite residents back before the board to review proposed solutions before voting on them and forwarding them to the Town Administrator and Select Board. The TSAC will not have authority to distribute resources or approve projects, but the Select Board will give careful consideration to actions recommended by the committee, Town Administrator and department heads, to the extent that town bylaws, Town Meeting actions and budgetary concerns permit. The TSAC will be comprised of the Chief of Police, Superintendent of Streets, Fire Chief, Town Planner (or their designees) and a resident. Consultants to the committee will include, but are not limited to, the American With Disabilities Act Coordinator, the Conservation Agent, the School Facility Director and the Complete Streets Committee. The Town Administrator will also serve as a non-voting advisor to the committee. For more information on the committee, its mission and its operating procedure, visit: https://www.stow-ma.gov/traffic-safety-advisory-committee.