Following a weekend workshop aimed at making Westwood more walkable, a group of residents and town employees plan to ask the Board of Selectmen to appoint a formal pedestrian and bicycle safety commission.
About 20 people took part in what was called a walkable community workshop on Saturday, which included a presentation by Cathy Buckley of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, and a 2-mile walking tour of the Islington area.
The group included residents and Town Planner Nora Loughnane, the town engineer, members of the Conservation Commission and Planning Board, and police Sgt. Paul Sicard, said organizer Dave Atkins.
The goal is to make Westwood more walkable and bicycle-friendly, said Atkins, who is the editor of WestwoodBlog.org.
It can be a bit difficult and dangerous for walkers and bike riders to get from one side of town to the other now because two main streets, Gay and Clapboardtree, "are both very narrow and winding at parts, and people drive very fast on them," Atkins said.
"The goal is not only to improve walkability in the neighborhoods, but also to connect the town better - to make it easier to get to different parts of town," he said.
In her presentation Saturday, Buckley said other towns have made themselves more walkable by creating an environment that is welcoming to pedestrians.
"We're trying to get back to the New England village feeling as much as we can" and find ways people can safely and enjoyably get around town, Buckley said yesterday.
A better walking environment can also benefit a town's economic development and the health of its residents, she said.
After meeting at the Hanlon School, the group set off on a walking audit of Islington, exploring Gay Street, Pine Lane, East Street and Washington Street, among others. Among the key intersections pegged for improvement were the crosswalk of Gay and Pine, and a number of dangerous and difficult-to-traverse crosswalks on East Street, Atkins said.
The crosswalks around the School Street playground are also inadequate for the unending stream of cars that go through that area, he said.
Atkins said that while the workshop could only cover one part of town, the hoped-for pedestrian commission would look at the entire town. He described it as "a formal body that would always be considering, any time there are new projects, what's the impact to pedestrians and bicyclists?"
The commission would also provide ongoing feedback on pedestrian access in Westwood, he added.
Atkins said he will meet with Town Administrator Michael Jaillet on Monday to get his input on how to proceed with forming a commission.
Wendy Muellers of the Keep Westwood Clean Committee was one resident who participated Saturday. While on the walk, she picked up one large trash bag's worth of litter and debris from Westwood streets.
She applauded Atkins' effort, calling the weekend event "a really great start."
"I am hoping that we form an official committee and that we can make changes over time," Muellers said.
Daily News staff writer Edward B. Colby can be reached at 781-433-8336 or ecolby@cnc.com.
