Accidents have quadrupled since Burnett Road was widened and repaved.
An automobile turns onto Basil Road off of Burnett Road in Chicopee. Timothy S. McLellan who represents Ward 6 is proposing a stop light installed at the intersection.CHICOPEE — An effort to place a stop light on Burnett Road has attracted attention from a state legislator and transportation officials.
State Rep. Thomas Petrolati, D-Ludlow, said he has been talking with Richard Davey, the state secretary of transportation, and the chairman of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board of directors about installing a stop light on Burnett Road near Basil Street ever since he read about City Councilor Timothy McLellan’s concerns about the road.
“We made a full court press because it is a safety issue,” Petrolati said.
Petrolati said it was the accident statistics that McLellan gathered that caught his attention and pushed him and his staff to start working on the issue.
McLellan, who represents Ward 6, where Burnett Road is located, said he started researching accidents after hearing about an excessive number at the intersection of Basil Road and the nearby Country Trading Post restaurant and store after Burnett Road was repaved and widened in 2009.
Before the road was improved, there were seven accidents combined at the intersection of Basil and at the Country Trading Post, which is about a half-mile away. That increased at the two locations to 31 from June 2010 to 2011 and 29 from June 2011 to last month, McLellan said.
In addition, McLellan said residents who live in a subdivision on Burnett Road have a difficult time safely crossing the busy street to reach the Chicopee State Park.
After learning about the accidents, he asked the City Council to study the idea of adding a traffic light in its ordinance and public safety committees. He said he has also been speaking to city engineer Steven Frederick about trying to solve the problem.
Burnett Road is technically owned by the city, but the state also takes some responsibility for the street because it connects to the Massachusetts Turnpike and Interstate 291.
McLellan said he has contacted Petrolati’s office in the past about the safety concerns but did not recently. He said he is happy the representative is taking up his cause.
“At this point I just want the safety concerns addressed,” McLellan said.
Petrolati said he expects to hear back from Davey and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors by next week on the push to put up a traffic light.
“Hopefully we can expedite the process,” he said.