Raising their voices for sound barriers
A group of Burlington residents tired of the noise from Route 128 are mobilizing to get sound barriers built in the area of Winn Street. The group will have its first meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Burlington Library and will discuss the issue with state Senator Robert Havern, Democrat of Arlington.
Aiding the group is Lexington resident Ed LoTurco, who is the spokesman for the Lexington Committee for the Construction of Noise Barriers. That group has been fighting for years to get sound barriers in its neighborhood, which is also along Route 128 and is not far from the Burlington neighborhood.
Terri Keene, a spokeswoman for the Burlington group, said noise from Route 128 has gotten worse since the widening of nearby Route 3, which resulted in a larger exit ramp from Route 3 to Route 128. The Lexington residents agree.
``Getting sound barriers won't happen overnight," Keene said. ``It will take a few years. You have to keep at it."
Nancy, of Waltham, would like to see State Police target careless drivers in the Burlington area of Route 128 between 4 and 6 p.m. Her biggest concern is drivers who cut across several lanes of traffic to get to an exit with no regard to the safety of other drivers who may be in the way.
``Why can't State Police monitor the area and cite the offending drivers?" she wrote recently in an e-mail.
``I would think a week or two of ticketing would show the offending drivers that the state is cracking down and would greatly reduce the problem."
Don't tell that to Steve, of Andover. He is sick of seeing State Police on Interstate 93, near the Route 60/Medford Square exit. He believes their effort to ticket drivers who use the breakdown lane is causing congestion.
``I drive this enough to know not to fall into the `trap,' but it seems this ticketing activity not only significantly slows traffic but increases the potential for accidents related to this," he wrote in an e-mail last week.
State Police Lieutenant Eric Anderson said drivers who would like to request a ticketing effort by State Police or have concerns about current efforts can write to the State Police at 470 Worcester Road, Framingham 01702. The envelope should be made out to the attention of Traffic Programs.
As for the ticketing of motorists on I-93 in Medford, Anderson said motorists driving in breakdown lanes is a tremendous problem.
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