Braintree mayor sides with anti-truck traffic group

By Robert Aicardi

Mon May 11, 2009, 03:37 PM EDT

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Braintree - A civic action group consisting of South Street residents and others, who want to “win back” their neighborhoods from what they regard as excessive truck traffic, have someone on their side: Mayor Joseph Sullivan.

Approximately 50 people divided among residents of Braintree, Holbrook, and Randolph attended a May 6 meeting at the South Street home of Michael and Deborah Barbuto, Town Councilor Paul “Dan” Clifford of District 6 told the Forum.

“Mayor Sullivan addressed the group,” Clifford said. “He took questions for approximately 30 minutes, when he committed to support the group’s actions and concerns. The group was very appreciative.”

Along those in attendance were Town Councilor Thomas Bowes of District 3 and former Holbrook Selectman Katherine Connolly.

Clifford provided the group with informational materials and summarized areas of concern.

“South Street traffic restrictions relating to heavy trucks carrying regional waste, the health implication of this traffic, and child safety are paramount issues to the group,” he said.

Clifford explained that the group is worried about increased heavy truck traffic “carrying noxious material and leaking unhealthful residue on South Street;” trucks carrying dumpsters to and from the waste transfer station in Holbrook “even before the site has been granted permission to operate;” and heavy truck operators dropping trailers at the Kindred Hospital parking lot overnight and using the lot for sleeping quarters.

Representatives of Toxics Action Center in Boston, whose mission is to work side-by-side with communities to prevent and clean up pollution in neighborhoods, will meet with the group at its next meeting, scheduled for May 21 “at a time and location to be provided shortly,” Clifford said.

Property values, quality of life, and public safety have decreased since 1993 and are getting worse, argued Michael Barbuto when he appeared before the town council on Oct. 7, citing increasing heavy truck traffic associated with businesses that come out of Centre Street as the key problem.

Barbuto, who mentioned several alternate routes to South Street, including Route 37 and Route 139, explained why he wants trucks to be stopped from coming down South Street.

 “Someone is going to get killed,” he said. “Businesses are just using this as a cut-through. I can’t understand why we have to deal with this traffic.”