Belmont Street and Lake Avenue Traffic Safety
At a glance
- What: Commissioner Stephen S. Rolle's informational communication (item 9.11B) on traffic safety initiatives on Belmont Street and Lake Avenue. Related: Hybrid Beacon Pedestrian Crossings, Truck Ban - Hamilton Street and Lake Avenue.
- Where it stands: open. Sent to the Traffic and Parking Committee on 2026-10-13 after Khrystian E. King's motion about notifying students was adopted 11-0.
- Next: corridor study scope for possible 2027 funding; first public meeting on Lake Avenue and Hamilton Street expected around December.
Initiatives reported
- Signage, pavement markings and enforcement.
- Flashing pedestrian signs funded in part from the CSX neighborhood fund.
- A first pedestrian hybrid beacon on Belmont Street.
- A corridor study scope for Belmont Street.
- Design work at Lake Avenue and Hamilton Street.
Belmont Street corridor
- Belmont Street between the Manny Familia Way area (per captions) and I-290 has a higher crash rate than the six-lane section to the east.
- A corridor study scope is being written for possible 2027 funding.
Lake Avenue and Hamilton Street
- Bigelow Way area: regional TIP design funding (first time design money has been available).
- Consultant contract being negotiated; several public meetings planned, the first expected around December.
- A heavy-vehicle exclusion study contract is being drawn up, with data collection this fall and a state submission shortly after the new year.
- The Lake Avenue long patch contractor is expected to mobilize about the end of October, and the work is to happen in 2026 (per Eric D. Batista).
Earlier request: signal at Lake Avenue and Bigelow Davis Parkway
- 2026-07-22: a resident asked for a traffic light and a right-turn lane at Lake Ave. and Bigelow Davis Pkwy. (Hamilton St.), citing backups up the Hamilton St. hill, crashes (about eight since 2023 per a MassDOT map) and parked game-day cars forcing drivers across the double yellow line.
- Stephen S. Rolle: a regional-funded design project is starting this summer and will look at a roundabout (probably infeasible because of the grade) or a signal; lighted pedestrian signs are on order for Hamilton St. and Lake Ave.
- Robert A. Bilotta filed an order asking for a timeline. Petition filed 2-0.
Status and next steps
- Sent to the Traffic and Parking Committee on 2026-10-13.
Discussion time
About 23 minutes across 2 meetings (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 - City Council | 12 |
| 2026-07-22 - Traffic and Parking Committee | 11 |
Log
- 2026-10-13 - City Council — Robert A. Bilotta praised the work and asked about the corridor study and Lake Avenue seasonal safety additions near Madulka's; John P. Fresolo asked when the heavy-vehicle study, long patch and a public meeting (possibly at the Lake Park field house) would happen; Jose A. Rivera asked about Chandler Street (see Chandler St and May St Intersection Project); King asked about the hybrid beacon and school communication. Referred to Traffic and Parking.
- 2026-08-19 - Traffic and Parking Committee — At the truck ban hearing Stephen S. Rolle reported state funding for design of the Lake Ave. and Hamilton St. (Bigelow Davis Pkwy.) intersection, with planning starting in fall 2026 and public meetings; a crash there had occurred a few weeks earlier. John P. Fresolo said the Lake Ave. long patch would start in September. See Truck Ban - Hamilton Street and Lake Avenue.
- 2026-07-22 - Traffic and Parking Committee — Resident's request for a traffic signal at Lake Ave. and Bigelow Davis Pkwy. filed 2-0; Rolle said a TIP-funded design project (roundabout or signal) starts this summer and lighted crossing signs are on order.