Stop sign would signal right of way

To the attentive person driving on Earldor Circle toward Pine Street in Marshfield, the right move upon reaching the intersection is clear: Stop, look both ways, then go. But a stop sign would be much more reassuring, said town resident Elizabeth Breuer Stacey.

''Pine Street is a main street, so anybody in their right mind would stop. But there are a lot of people these days who are not in their right minds," she said.

Curiously, across from Earldor Circle is a stop sign at Hampstead Way and Pine. And about 1,000 feet away is a two-way stop sign controlling traffic on Pine and Forest streets.

''It seemed so obvious that there should be a stop sign" at Earldor, said Stacey.

The town responds:Patrolman Bob Foulsham, the Marshfield Police Department's safety officer, says it's up to the department to decide whether adding the sign is justified, and so far it does not appear to be.

''The simple fact that it doesn't have a stop sign and some of the other [intersections] do isn't one of the requirements," he said.

Accidents, the number of complaints, traffic volume at the intersection, and numerous other factors go into the decision, Foulsham said.

''There aren't too many problems there" at Earldor and Pine, he said.

Besides, there are many other ''uncontrolled" intersections in Marshfield without yield or stop signs, said Foulsham, who teaches driver's education at night.

Drivers approaching a primary road from a secondary one should know what to do, he said.

''By law, you are required to yield," Foulsham said.

But he said he will consider Stacey's suggestion.

''Certainly, we can look at it," he said.

Generally, Foulsham, as the safety officer, makes the recommendation to the police chief, who forwards it to the Board of Selectmen for approval.

MARIA CRAMER

Who is responsible?

Patrolman Bob Foulsham

Marshfield safety officer

781-834-6655.

UpdateSix days after GlobeWatch reported the East Weymouth Neighborhood Association was anxiously awaiting a $1,000 grant from Lennar Partners, a Miami company designing the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station's redevelopment, the check arrived.

The company offers grants to nonprofit groups in the area, but the association complained it had waited more than a year after applying for the funds. Lennar spokesman Bill Ryan had told GlobeWatch all the association needed to do was submit a W-9 form proving its nonprofit status, but group president Dominic Galluzzo said it had complied with that request numerous times. Both sides, however, expressed happiness on Monday that the matter is resolved.

''We're pleased they received their check and hope they put it to good use," Ryan said. Galluzzo said the association probably will use the money to maintain the area around Herring Run, once the town destroys a vacant building by the stream and builds a park.