City Council Tables Traffic Department Consideration

FRAMINGHAM - The Framingham City Council met on Tuesday, August 19, to further explore the possible creation of a local Traffic Department—though the discussion did not go far.

The Framingham Traffic Commission recommended the creation of the group back in April. Supporters believe it would bring multiple municipal services together through the new group’s responsibilities. The hope is that the new Traffic Department would enhance coordination and efficiency among other municipal departments while being the sole entity for residents, businesses, and local officials to contact with any traffic-related questions, comments, or concerns.

“It’s a true partnership with the community,” Director of Finance and Administration for the Framingham Department of Public Works (DPW) Mark Gould said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

“It’s one phone number to call instead of three phone numbers. It’s something to be excited about to improve safety at a low cost.”

The proposal outlines that the new Traffic Department would be a part of the local DPW. It would have its own director along with a traffic engineer. DPW leaders have mentioned that no additional employees would be added, as positions within the DPW would be restructured. The city’s Lighting and Signal Division would be within the Traffic Department, though the Framingham Police Department (FPD) would still be responsible with enforcing traffic rules. Money to launch and maintain a Traffic Department, according to research provided to the Traffic Commission in April, would be funded through grants, local appropriations, and mitigation funds.

The matter of creating the new department was initially presented to City Councilors back in May; it was tabled in early June after feedback was provided by members of the legislative body. The feedback included the suggestion to make the department a completely individual one outside of the DPW, as well as ironing out who speaks with who—both within the municipal government and with residents and business owners. Some members of the City Council supported the original proposal, while others thought it did not go far enough.

On Tuesday, At-Large City Councilor George King asked how the proposal had changed since it was brought up in early May. DPW Director Bob Lewis conceded that Tuesday’s presentation was for a plan that was essentially the same as the original; he said that after the budget for the project was approved through the annual budget process, the DPW saw that as overall approval of the initial plan.

Still, multiple members of the City Council were confused as to why the same plan came back or why DPW leaders had not mentioned that the original proposal was their best; King called the process “insulting.”

“To come in and propose the same thing and have to be questioned as to whether it’s the same thing, I just think that we’re wasting our time,” the At-Large City Councilor continued.

Moving forward, members of the City Council asked DPW officials to explain why parking enforcement would be kept with FPD and to clarify the differences between the proposed Traffic Department and the already-existing Traffic Commission as well as their individual duties.

Mayor Charlie Sisitsky, however, expressed support for the current proposal. He contended that it would maximize cost and workflow efficiency along with accessibility for the community.

“I don’t see what the issue is with what we’ve proposed,” Sisitsky told the City Council on Tuesday.

“If you wanted to do anything else, like set up a completely separate traffic department independent of (the Department of) Public Works, they would be doing the same thing as this proposed department is doing.”

Police Chief Lester Baker has felt strongly about keeping traffic enforcement within the FPD’s duties due to better shift coverage, according to Sisitsky on Tuesday.

The City Council eventually voted 6-4 to table the Traffic Department discussion, though the group did not identify a specific date to pick the topic back up.