Flaming Facebook trafficking thread

<![CDATA[
– News about Quincy MA from Quincy Quarry News.
The following thread is provided as a follow up documentation to the Quincy Quarry story Quincy Ward Councillor ward heeler caught weaseling on trafficking exposé?
The original source thread for the following can also be seen in its home venue at https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153247587695081&id=590735080
 
Key:
– Main Posts are in regular font form
– Responses to a post are in italics
Kim Whitt > ‎Margaret McLean Laforest
Hi Margaret, It has been almost a year since we met with you and other city and state officials regarding the traffic situation in Merrymount. At that time, we were promised signs would be put up immediately. Last fall I was also promised by the Mayor’s office that signs would be put up with your approval. We have asked numerous times for updates, and we have not received any response from you or the city. There are many upset voters in Merrymount that will be looking for a change if the traffic issue is not addressed before November.
June 5 at 6:57pm · Edited · Public
Hank Dondero and 13 others like this.
Domenic DeAngelo
Dont you think a private note to Margaret would have been more apropriate? Minus the threatening tone. Jeesh!!
28 · Jun 5 at 7:19pm
1 reply
Chrissy Baker Pasteris
If you lived on our street you’d be upset too!
4 · Jun 5 at 8:14pm
Eric Buckley
That should have been a private message for sure.
6 · Jun 5 at 8:24pm
George Douglas
Ugg……
Jun 6 at 2:42am
Tina Ragusa
What street are you talking about? I live in Merrymount and would like to know more.
1 · Jun 6 at 4:08am
Kim Whitt
The problem is at the intersection of Merrymount and Samoset. All of the neighbors and myself have sent private messages, emails, videos, petitions, letters, and attended meetings for years now. I have had thousands of dollars in personal property damage. Yes it’s sad I have to use this forum, but it is a dangerous situation. If it saves someone’s life, I can live with it.
Edited · 9 · Monday at 7:44pm
Mary Mcmorrow
Don’t know why it is bothering anyone that this is not a “private message”. Transparency is important, especially before an election.
12 · Jun 6 at 4:28am
1 reply
Kathy Mcdonald
I agree Mary. Sounds like she went the private message route and was ignored.
2 · Jun 6 at 8:54am
Tina Ragusa
All of Merrymount is one big cut thru. Only going to get worse once they close off Quincy Center plus add the 5 or 6 new apartment complexes. With the closing of Furnace Brook the last few weeks has been a nightmare as well. Big city only getting more and more congested. Why the only solution is a red light or a stop sign is beyond me. Sorry but I could go on forever so I’ll just end it now. Good luck with your signs. Not sure it’s going to change the issue.
6 · Jun 6 at 4:40am
3 replies
Janet Colclough Bargar
Traffic has already informed me that stop signs are not allowed as a means to slow speeders. Trying to make my street(Manet Ave) safe for my young son has been fruitless.
2 · Jun 6 at 4:24pm
Tina Ragusa
They put stop signs up along all of Squanto road to “slow” traffic…….. ??? Not that anyone stops. Not even the smaller school bus in the morning
2 · Jun 7 at 9:06am
Janet Colclough Bargar
I know. But at least for a little while their speed is regulated. What bothers me is these are all Quincy residents! You can be sure they slow down as they approach their own block.
1 · Jun 7 at 9:09am
Matt Coady
This definitely should be public. If elected officials aren’t responding like they’ve promised, voters should know.
11 · Jun 6 at 4:47am
1 reply
Mary Mcmorrow
…and I like Margaret and voted for her! Just think voters should know what the gripes are! If she feels this situation is being misrepresented, Margaret can respond to this publicly and clear the issue up.
3 · Jun 6 at 4:49am
Kim Whitt
I voted for Margaret as well. I hope to do so again. It’s two simple signs that would make this part of Ward 1 very happy!
1 · Jun 6 at 5:16am
Kim Sanborn Fallon
Margaret has done an AWESOME JOB!! Don’t forget people she has to go through different channels too.. She just can’t walk in to the parks dept and get signs …and it’s a BIG city it takes time and everyone wants everything ASAP.. It took two years 3 get my street paved.. and Tom Koch
7 · Jun 6 at 5:26am
Kim Sanborn Fallon
Margaret McLean Laforest and Tom Koch have my VOTE
4 · Jun 6 at 5:26am
Peter Doherty
Facebook extortion at its finest!!
6 · Jun 6 at 5:30am
Jane Hanlon-Cook
There is already a stop sign there, what more r u looking for?
1 · Jun 6 at 6:11am
3 replies
Kim Whitt
We requested a “do not enter sign” at the top of Samoset and Quincy Shore Drive and a
“Do not enter” from 4-7 pm at the corner of Furnace Brook and Merrymount Road. Commuters cutting thru the neighborhood to avoid the lights are speeding and do not stop at the stop signs. Our kids cannot even walk to and from school safely. An elderly woman with a cane was almost run down. There have been numerous serious accidents. We would not be so upset about this issue if it wasn’t a real problem. I have better things to spend my time on! The police have gone above and beyond to assist with the problem. They cannot be expected to be here all the time…. The signs have been promised by Margaret and the mayor and not delivered!
1 · Jun 6 at 6:42am
Daniel Jacobs
Kim the city has done a lot with that intersection even making it a 4 way stop. The police are out at that intersection a lot doing traffic stops. I don’t know what else you want. U can’t just have a do not enter sign because you do not want cars on your street. I use that street a lot myself and feel that there are never to many cars on it and that it gets more then its fair share of police presence. There is already a do not enter sign at southern artery. What u should have thought about before u bought there was how are these three main roads that surround my street going to interfere with traffic on my street.
Yesterday at 12:34pm
Jennifer Dondero O’Brien
Dan, it’s a three way stop. Not a four way stop. What we want is a sign at the intersection of Furnace Brook Pkwy and Merrymount Rd making it a DO NOT ENTER from 3pm-6pm. My husband is on the motorcycle unit and he is one of the cops that has helped gather the data about how bad that intersection is during rush hour (the data was gathered a year ago!). QPD was extremely helpful but that is not the way to fix this increasingly dangerous issue. As traffic in the city has become a bigger problem, our neighborhood has become more of a cut thru. You couldn’t possibly understand or appreciate the magnitude of the problem if you don’t live in the neighborhood.
Edited · 1 · 10 hours ago
Denise Loud Kilrain
Sounds familiar about updates and notifications!
4 · Jun 6 at 6:39am
Lisa Sullivan
Excuse me everyone, but if people in Adam Shore & Merrymount, parked their cars in their driveways, & not on the streets, cars could get by a lot easier.
6 · Jun 6 at 7:04am
Paige Reilly
We put our cars in the streets to hopefully slow people down
4 · Jun 6 at 7:08am
3 replies
Daniel Jacobs
Paige it may be slowing people down but it’s making it very difficult for people to see pedestrians because the a bobbing and weaving around parked cars.
Yesterday at 12:36pm
Craig Ellis
Very dangerous!!!!!! ‘
Yesterday at 5:23pm
Kevin Gracey
Vigilante-ism accomplishes nothing, as a rule.
1 hour ago
Teresa Cristiani Altavesta
People are on the wrong side of the road turning onto our side streets and they are speeding. My concern is the safety of my children. No need to speed down these streets to try and avoid the street lights. My stone wall has been crashed into and destroyed a total of 8 times over the past 22 years. People don’t care because it’s not their property. Multiple trees have been ran over by drunk drivers. I think we’re not asking for much for a couple street signs and enforcing those signs.
3 · Jun 6 at 7:29am
Teresa Cristiani Altavesta
And I can’t think of any side street in Quincy that residences don’t park on sidewalks. Why should we be any different. And it would just make more room for those speeding drivers.
Edited · 3 · Monday at 8:40am
Adam Pavidis
No need to speed in neighborhoods. I often cut through Merrymount, SLOWLY! I see lots of running stop signs and going too fast. Sometimes from residents and that is the worst.
2 · Jun 6 at 8:34am
Kathy Mcdonald
Don’t hold your breath waiting to hear back from Margaret McLean Laforest. I just gave up!!
3 · Jun 6 at 8:50am
Kim Whitt
Funny we’ve been asking her to visit this part of her Ward 1
For years to witness the problem with no response…..he r
Opponent just knocked on my door!
Edited · 5 · Jun 6 at 9:02am
1 reply
Craig Ellis
Terrible
Yesterday at 5:24pm
Susan Swanton Quigg
If meeting were held then why no update at least. Don’t make promises you can not keep.
4 · Jun 6 at 9:15am
Kevin Barrett
If we add do not enter signs it will only bypass the traffic down other streets and make that section worse…. why don’t we add a stop light at that intersection
1 · Jun 6 at 10:18am
Adam Pavidis
Enforcement is the only way it’s going to work. Some police presence and some tickets would go a long way. City-wide! Drivers speed and run stop signs in the Neck, too.
4 · Jun 6 at 10:29am
Susan Swanton Quigg
We had police presence and numerous tickets handed out. All the data was presented at the meeting which is why signs were promised and now no one will respond to Kim Whitt . Unacceptable!!! !
5 · Jun 6 at 10:49am
Margaret McLean Laforest
Kim Whitt thank you for your follow up. This is one of many, many issues being worked on. To all following this post let me give a bit of background. I had been hearing from area residents about traffic problems in the Merrymount neighborhood bordered by Quincy Shore Dr, Furnace Brook Pkwy, Southern Artery and Sea St. The first three are state roads. We had a meeting last year while the city traffic engineer position was vacant. We brought in the state elected officials and DCR and Mass DOT as well as Quincy Police Department. We solicited input from all involved. My role is to get the information to the people that can make the necessary changes. The ball has been in the court of the traffic engineer and state DCR. As you see with how painfully slow its taken for approval to demolish the YMCA, we are sadly still awaiting DCRs approval for signage installation. The city cannot install signage on state roads with their approval. If we did so as a rogue operation, if any incidents occurred and signage was involved, there’s be more problems. I agree completely with the area residents that there needs signage to lessen the cut thoughts. I have seen the videos and spoken with many neighbors. We have had QPD in the area an unprecedented amount of times. They have mostly given warnings as many of the offenders live in the immediate area. We have had new technology piloted in the area counting cars, the times of day and speeds. I have requested all the data from QPD and was awaiting additional data from the traffic engineer relative to the neighborhood ITDE Trip Generation Rate. I feel it is important to understand how many of these vehicle trips come from the homes in the area. For example if there are 100 houses in that section, how many morning commute trip, school pick up time, evening commute come from the area and then we can get an idea of the estimated cut through traffic. I have not been able to get this information. Please understand, I do my best to get information as timely as I can. There are many balls in the air, most not in my court, but rather awaiting action by others. I give of myself as much as I can. I have had meetings every single night and don’t have a free night until June 24 and even that week is booking up. With 3,000 fb friends, a super majority of which are constituents, I always have 30+ notifications. I respond to all personally but it is pretty easy to get buried. I welcome any questions but I will be off the grid as tomorrow I have my daughters high school graduation and I need to spend some time with my family. I will be back online Monday and will post the QPD data.
20 · Jun 6 at 12:59pm
1 reply
Eileen Chase
Great job Margaret
Jun 7 at 10:06am
Bob Miller
Margaret, you are doing the best you can. There is only 24 hours . For this individual to make remarks on FB is so immature and not called for
8 · Jun 6 at 1:10pm
Margaret McLean Laforest
She has a fair point. They are frustrated. They are waiting. It is taking too long. They need a solution. I share their frustration.
5 · Jun 6 at 1:12pm
4 replies
Kathy Gill Doyle
But Margaret it’s not your fault the process is taking so long they should not be taking their frustrations out on you!
Jun 6 at 2:18pm
Janet Colclough Bargar
Margaret…the exact same issue is facing us on Manet Ave…speeders cutting through, going 40 mph, ending up on our sidewalks when they pass another vehicle. It’s treacherous. I have contacted you, police and traffic. No luck.
Jun 6 at 4:30pm
Margaret McLean Laforest
Janet Colclough Bargar I have always been very responsive to you. I don’t remember your asking for help on speeding but I will have QPD deploy this equipment near you soon. Feel free to call/email/pm any time.
Yesterday at 12:23pm
Janet Colclough Bargar
Just pm’d you.
Yesterday at 1:28pm
Paula Newcomb
There were other issues discussed at that meeting. The intersection of QSD and Sea Street is very dangerous with cars driving up and over the planting strip to get to the corner. This is a complicated problem and it is not easy to work with the State.
Jun 6 at 1:30pm
Michael Edward Knox
I do not live in Merrymount or Adam’s Shore. How about cutting Margaret Laforest some slack. She has done more for Ward 1 than I have ever seen a City Councillor do. I have lived in a major city all my life. Margaret has done a superior job for her constituents and she has always gone above and beyond. If you think you can do a better job than step up to the plate! I think you would be in for a rude awakening. There is an old indian saying, “Never judge another indian until you have walked a mile in their moccasins.” You can put up all of the signs you want. People are still going to ignore them. You say Margaret’s opponent just knocked on your door. Guess what? It was just a knock on your door! If they somehow manage to get elected, the response will be “We will get back to you on that!” Margaret has done an exemplary job for Ward 1 and I for one are proud that she is my councilor!
Edited · 25 · Jun 6 at 2:16pm
Kathy Gill Doyle
Michael Edward Knox thank you for your comments which are exactly what I would have responded if you didn’t beat me to it!!!!!
2 · Jun 6 at 2:07pm
Jimmy Griffin
Seems like more an issue for QPD if people are almost hitting pedestrians and running stop signs. I think that calling Margaret out about this on FB makes you look like a bully too!
Also Merrymount school dismisses children at 2 not 4. It seems more like you would like to cut the traffic flow to your neighborhood more than anything.
3 · Jun 6 at 2:14pm
John McDonald
My two cents: In this new age of social media it is so easy to use these platforms to air grievance’s of any kind. It is also very easy to share one side of an issue. Frustration aside Facebook and other platforms like FB were not (in my humble opinion) created for civic and constitute grievances. Perhaps some think public shaming is an affective tool to gain support for a particular cause. I myself feel it creates a mob mentality which can not be good for either party. My suggestion is take the time to get on the agenda of the next city council meeting. You have the right to be heard and that is your forum.
Peace!
9 · Jun 6 at 2:33pm
Donnamarie Shortt Kavanah
Thank you, Margaret, for acknowledging our frustration here in Merrymount . It is frightening living here , Mon thru Fri @ eve rush hour time . All to avoid 1 traffic light ! Even IF drivers Stop @ the stop sign , they FLY up the rest of Merrymount Rd, to turn left onto the Artery. As Kim mentioned above , a Do Not Enter b/w 4-7 PM sign was requested . I can assure you that that is what is needed – it only takes a matter of minutes on any weekday evening to observe and note that Merrymount Road is used as a cut- through
1 · Jun 6 at 2:46pm
7 replies
 Janet Colclough Bargar
Manet Ave in the neck has the exact same problem. Speeders cutting through, doing 40 mph.
No satisfaction from police, politicians, or traffic dept.
More · Jun 6
 Steven O’Hare
95% probably live on Manet Ave
2 · More · Jun 6
Janet Colclough Bargar
I live towards the end so its not people on my street. They are residents who from Sea St. turn onto Babcock and go down Manet…they turn back onto Sea at the end of Manet. They think it’s a shortcut.
More · Jun 7
Daniel Jacobs
What traffic are they trying to bypass? I would never drive down Babcock to bypass sea st. It’s slower.
More · Jun 9
Janet Colclough Bargar
Maybe they like the view of the ocean?( The view ends where my house is located and houses are on both sides) Maybe they think it’s a shorter route because it turns left slightly? Whatever the reason, Manet gets a LOT of through traffic, and when there is excessive speed and cars are trying to pass each other, they often end up driving up /onto our sidewalks.
It’s treacherous.
More · Jun 9
Daniel Jacobs
i have never seen any cars drive up on sidewalks. if they are its because the people who live on that part of the street use the sidewalk like its their driveways. if anyting its the stop signs there that people run. the reason for that is because they are positioned in such a way that if you stop where the signs say to you cannot see any cars coming from eith direction.
More · Jun 9
Daniel Jacobs
also manet ave is not a side street. its a road directly off of a main road so there is going to be heavier traffic.
More · Jun 10
Chuck MacDonald
Let me just say this it is not all about merrymount or Adam shore Margaret is doing a great job. For a person to basically say if I don’t get my way I am not voting for you is wrong. This is a city and state issue not Margaret’s issue she is here to help not put the signs up. If she is right that most traffic issues are from the residents then he’ll police your self. If the police have tickets the same people looking for this change would be upset at the tickets come on people.
2 · Jun 6 at 3:04pm
Susan Swanton Quigg
The police have ticketed and I believe most were not residents. If it was residents then so be it, they should stop at the stop sign and slow down. Again, Kim should not have been told signs would go up if they could not go up. It is the fact she was told things would happen and they did not. Then no one would respond to her regarding the issue.
5 · Jun 6 at 8:40pm
Laurel Hayden Peddie
Margaret, thanks for your note. Thank goodness you are looking into the issues of Sea Street and Southern Artery. At anytime of the day you are stuck getting through that area. I know there is more and more traffic in this City, but they need to figure something out with the traffic lights. Thanks again!
1 · Jun 7 at 3:52am
Craig Ellis
“It’s frightening living in Merrymount” lol!!!!! Too funny!!!!!
5 · Jun 7 at 6:47am
Kim Whitt
How come at the meeting a year ago you said in front of everyone there that you could put a do not enter sign at the top of Samoset the next day! And why did the mayor who agreed with my suggestion when I met with him and the traffic engineer last fall go on to say “he’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission”? And why haven’t you replied to any of the residents from upper Merrymount since last summer in any way shape or form except on this one public post? We pay taxes and deserve a response from our Ward counsellor.
Edited · 2 · Jun 7 at 5:02am
Merrymount and Adan shore need to come down from the high horse. Very street and section of Quincy has the same problem what’s next ban autos
6 · Jun 7 at 8:23am
1 reply
Chrissy Baker Pasteris
We like the view from our high horse why would we ever come down from it, that’s why we chose to live here…
2 · Yesterday at 4:24am
Amanda Peduzzi Nolan
I’ll admit over the past year I cut thru on Samoset from Quincy Shore drive – The WAZE app and Google map directs me bc of the HUGE traffic back up on Sea Street to Southern Artery (police station) But I’m very mindful and go slow. I wish a police office could direct that intersection to move it along faster. But for now people WILL cut through Merrymount unless that traffic issue gets resolved.
On another note – I feel your pain. I live on Kilby Street- (Adams Shore/HN cut thru to HN Rhoda St) for 18 years. Cars go very fast up the hill. NUMEROUS fender benders, About three cats died, and many many wild animals get hit. Close hits to kids too when they were young. Not good at all. People drive fast. It’s common bc we live in a city…
2 · Jun 7 at 10:11am
Amanda Peduzzi Nolan
Btw- Margaret McLean Laforest is THE best Ward counselor ever!! Thank you M
7 · Jun 7 at 10:12am
Jennifer Dondero O’Brien
Just to make things clear….. The Quincy Police Special Operations Unit wrote 72 citations here last year during a one week period. They were posted at the intersection of Merrymount Rd and Samoset Ave from 430pm-6pm Mon-Fri. Out of the 72 citations written ONLY 4 were neighborhood residents. The vast majority were commuters from south shore communities cutting through. If someone is not patient enough to wait for a light to cycle what makes anyone think that someone is going to drive slowly or stop for posted signage in a residential neighborhood. Bottom line, the people cutting through are in a hurry!!!!!
9 · Monday at 3:26pm
Margaret McLean Laforest
I have spent the last four hours working on a blog post for you with the data I was given. Everything has been given to the traffic engineer, who’s job is to do this analysis, coordinate with other agenceis, install signs, etc. I guess this is where what i thought to be my “above and beyond” kicks in not wanting to wait for answers but to just figure it out the best I can. Sorry you feel I haven’t done enough. I have put a lot more time in on this aside from this post and have spoken individually to many neighbors whose concerns I share. Our Traffic Engineer has been great to work with but she’s one person managing traffic in a city of 95,000 and the ball is really in the state’s court on this issue. I share your frustration that there’s been no movement on the sign installation. I wish the ball was in the City’s court as it would be done. Fair warning, the data sets aren’t optimal but it’s how I was given the info. I’m so pleased the Quincy Police Department took the initiative to acquire this equipment as I believe data is important in understanding the problem and figuring out the solution. I have been working with Captain Dougan and know once the kinks are all worked out and now that we have purchased two sets and can install one data collector in each direction on the same road, we will be able to get a better picture at troubled locations. I don’t have any official updates but have posted an analysis based on the data on my website. http://margaretlaforest.com/campaign/2015/06/09/samoset-ave-pilot-program-for-traffic-data-collection/
Samoset Ave Pilot Program for Traffic Data Collection
margaretlaforest.com ·
Edited · 4 · Monday at 9:22pm
Jennifer Dondero O’Brien
Margaret, thank you for taking the time to provide the above information. We fully understand that our neighborhood isn’t the only traffic issue in the city and although it may come across as residents expecting quick results, I know personally I have been trying to have this issue addressed for at least 3.5 years…others even longer. We have all dedicated a lot of time to this over the years. It’s expected that things can take time but understand with all due respect residents frustrations are based upon the lack of response and follow up to phone calls, emails, and disregard to invites to come to our neighborhood to personally speak with us and understand and witness it firsthand. This is why unfortunately and sadly it was brought to a FB status. I agree data is extremely important. The Quincy Police provided stats last year at the neighborhood meeting based on the tickets that were given out while they conducted traffic stops. The numbers were extreme for a neighborhood which made people more concerned for the safety of their children (and people have suffered property damage as well). And at that time signs were promised. The data presented above was conducted further up from the stop signs on Samoset Ave in March and April (not sure but there may have been snow still on the ground). Residents have been very consistent in saying that it is a cut thru issue and lack of respect for stop signs from May – September during the hours of 3-6pm. Yes people ignore the stop signs at other hours, but nothing like the 3-6 commute. The request has been for signage of some sort during the 3-6 hour slot to minimize the issue (not an island in the middle of the intersection as reported above). Residents are hopeful that some kind of solution will be found and appreciate that the lines of communication are opening.
Edited · 5 · Yesterday at 12:09am
Kim Whitt
Margaret McLean Laforest with all due respect, you have stated the following on your facebook responses and your blog: “we are sadly awaiting DCR’s approval for signage installation.” “and the ball is in the state’s court on this issue. I wish the ball was in the City’s court as it would be done.” “Permission is needed from the state agencies to install any signage on their roads. The City of Quincy Traffic Engineer has sent numerous follow up communications to no avail.” Once I received these replies from you which took a year to obtain, I took it upon myself to follow up with the state yesterday to see if there was anything we could do to expedite the situation. I was notified within a short period of time in writing that the DCR has never been informed of the City of Quincy’s proposal to put traffic signage in our neighborhood or on Furnace Brook Parkway. The response also confirmed that the state has not been informed of any such proposal. The response also stated that while it may be helpful to the state to be notified, the City of Quincy does not require the DCR’s approval for putting signage directing traffic on city owned streets. Someone has some explaining to do.
Edited · 3 · Yesterday at 8:29am
Susan Swanton Quigg
Kim Whitt that is very disturbing. City says they are waiting for the State and the State says they have not heard from the city. Someone is giving incorrect information!!
1 · Yesterday at 12:20pm
Kathy Mcdonald
I won’t add my story to this thread but I am in the same boat trusting that my City officials (counsellor/ mayors office/police/ animal control care about my and my family’s safety only to be disappointed time and time again. Unanswered phone calls, texts, emails are the norm not the exception! Keep pushing!!!
1 · Yesterday at 12:53pm
Adam Pavidis
Let’s use this format to focus on the offenders. 8:05 this morning I watched 3 cars go speeding down Samoset from Sea. They IGNORED the Do Not Enter sign! The last of the 3 was a Quincy Public School van, in use.
10 hours ago
(Apparent end of this thread, ed.)
QQ disclaimer
 ]]>