By Al Gentile

agentile@wickedlocal.com 

@LexReporter

Police have issued more than 40 citations to drivers for travelling the wrong-way on Harrington Road since it turned into a one-way street.

Lexington Police Chief Mark Corr told The Minuteman 27 written warnings and 14 civil citations were written between Aug. 16 and Aug. 29, related to the traffic trial. The trial was enacted by the Board of Selectmen in order to make the intersection of Bedford Street and Harrington Road more safe.

The number of tickets issued, Corr said, does not indicate whether the traffic change has failed or is successful.

“I do not believe any conclusions can be reliably reached at this time,” Corr said. “Any change takes time to effectively call a trial.”

A “Road Closed” sign blocks one of the lanes on Harrington Road, with orange barrels lining the yellow lines to indicate the entire lane is closed. A “Do Not Enter” sign was installed as well. Drivers who have received tickets have driven past those signs on the wrong side of the road.

The Board of Selectmen voted to turn Harrington Road into a one-way street with travel allowed from Bedford Street to Massachusetts Avenue in May by a 4 to 1 vote, with Selectmen Peter Kelley as the only dissenting vote.

The current one-way limitation, which only allows traffic to travel from the Bedford Street side of Harrington Road towards Massachusetts, will be in effect for at least three months, according to Town Engineer John Livsey. The Board of Selectmen could in the future move to a full closure, with only residents of the street being able to access Harrington Road.

“There are discussions that it was going to stay in place for three or more months so we could test under different scenarios and traffic conditions,” Livsey said.

Since implementing the traffic plan, several changes have been made to the current installation.

"We added close to 20 barrels so that entire lane is closed off, we put in a couple additional Road Closed Ahead signs at the approach turns, we moved one of the road closed signs further back toward Mass Ave, and we lowered the do not enter sign for increased visibility,” Livsey said.

Livsey said his department has not heard any complaints from people about the traffic change.