"If (DCR) wants to open up Ravine Road, that's fine, but let the people of Melrose take Melrose streets to get home," DePinto said.

Evil Melrose drivers...driving on public roads. What is wrong with you people????

I understand that Selectman DePinto has constituents that he needs to answer to, but the argument that Melrose residents should use Melrose roads to get home is ludicrous. Imagine if Melrose made Franklin St one-way, inconveniencing thousands of Stoneham residents. Enough is enough. The people in the Stoneham side of Ravine Road bought their houses knowing that there was a fair amount of traffic on that street. If there wasn't, they would have paid a lot more for their homes.

I agree with Shane's comment that the Stoneham residents on Ravine Road bought their homes knowing that it is a busy two-way street. I also think the argument that keeping Ravine Rosd one-way is safer for Stoneham residents and their children is absurd. There are no homes and no children on that section of Ravine Rosd.

I bought my home in Melrose knowing that Ravine Road was two-way and easy access to I-93. I believe that turning Ravine Road into a into a one-way decreases the value of my home as it is very inconvenient to get home now.

"let the people of Melrose take Melrose streets to get home"?! That's about the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Does he understand that's not how the world works? Stoneham residents go through Melrose to get to Stoneham from Route 1. Melrose residents drive through Stoneham to get to Melrose from 93. Both (presumably) patronize businesses in the other communities on their commutes as wel as in their daily lives. It's a symbiotic relationship and having elected officials from one community trying to draw lines in the sand for ONE road doesn't help solve any problems.

>>"I'm getting a lot of emails from (Stoneham) residents who are very happy (with the one-way road)."

Clearly from people that don't sit in that Pond Street traffic every afternoon!!!

How about this? Perhaps Stoneham should cede that portion of Ravine east of the LFP that lies in Stoneham to Melrose. Then Selectman DePinto wouldn't have any constituents there to pander to.

I was just looking at a google map of the section of Ravine Road that they made One Way. Can someone explain to me what residents homes safety are compromised by this being a 2 way street? Let me answer that for you NONE. There is not 1 single house on that section of road.

"I'm worried about the residents of Stoneham on that side (because) that side is very dangerous if they re-open that street."

Ravine Road has been two-way for at least as long as I've been alive, over 30 years. This is nothing more than a measuring contest between two silly non-consequential towns.

I believe the issue is not so much the traffic that is traveling Ravine Road on a regular basis, but the speed in which cars are traveling this residential road. The aim of making Ravine Road a one way street was to aid in slowing the traffic that does pass through. It is unacceptable that cars are traveling well over the speed limit and causing a safety hazard to both drivers and residents that use this road. I don't believe the residents of Ravine Road and surrounding streets are concerned about the number of cars that traverse but the speed in which the cars tend to travel picking up speed as they cross the Fellsway .

If not only for the reason of safety that the one way street should remain until other alternatives can be explored.

Think about the environment. Lots of wasted energy waiting in traffic to turn each day !

The 1-way Ravine Road experiment was a great success. We learned 2 things. 1st, for those of us who live in the neighborhood of lower Ravine, the change in traffic did improve the quality of our life and made the area safer for our children, especially during the evening rush hour... when the kids are most likely to be outside to play. 2nd, we found that Wyoming can not handle the volume of the of traffic being redirected through it when Ravine is closed. The back ups at the light by Grimsby's and the dangerous situation on Pond road are make it a non-sustainable solution.
This is very similar to what was learned when, in 2009, the city of Stoneham illegally blocked off the end of lower Ravine, making it a "Do No Enter". We learned that the 1/2 a dozen Stoneham residence who live at that end of the road saw an improvement, and we saw that all other roads in the area... smaller roads, with more children in residence, and completely unable to handle the increase in volume became exponentially more dangerous.
A solution needs to be developed that will address the dangers associated with that intersection AT THAT INTERSECTION, not move the problem someplace else. A traffic light... a roundabout... more police presence to slow traffic coming from Malden on the Fells Way. Something that will reduce the number of accidence there and not simply move the danger someplace else.

I have a great idea. First, we we redirect all Stoneham traffic to pass in front of the Melrose House of Vacuums. That would help local business a lot! Next, we make everyone trying to use Ravine Road show identification that they live on Glen Street. Finally for offenders who violate these rules, we make them spend an afternoon at the Jerry Jingle Park sitting in the gazebo with Selectman John DePinto. That definitely show them.

What if Pond street and Ravine Road were BOTH one way? Ravine Road would reverse - letting traffic flow toward Melrose from Spot Pond, and Pond Street would be go the other way - from Wyoming Ave out to Woodland Road . Ravine Road would take all the traffic normally heading down Pond St - eliminating the left turns onto the Fellsway across Wyoming - and allow traffic to flow on and off Pond St much more smoothly at both ends.

"...but let the people of Melrose take Melrose streets to get home." The town of Stoneham should be embarrassed by that comment from one of their elected officials. I hope for his sake it was misquoted because that is just ludicrous on every possible level. Basically if I were to do what he says I could only work in Melrose and never shop or visit any other town??? Sorry Mr. DePinto but that just is not how our society works. This really does show the disconnect right now between Stoneham and Melrose.

I am curious why our Mayors letters have not been responded to by the DCR or Stoneham regarding this issue but yet according to the article they (DCR and Town Administrator) have been discussing Ravine Road. Why hasn't anyone taken the time to respond to Mayor Dolan yet? I am pretty sure that if the towns actually could get together and discuss this issue some common ground could be found. To date though I don't believe this has happened and instead we the commuters have to deal with the pain. One-way streets are created seemingly overnight, traffic studies conducted at a time when fiscally I am sure there are better things to be spending taxpayer money on, etc. but no real discussion by the leaders of our 2 towns to work together, sad very sad.

Personally I'll be happy to see this trial end but something tells me there will be another one in the very near future.

If speed is the issue, why aren't traffic calming measures such as speed bumps in place?

I live in Stoneham and this one way is not a solution to the problem for one street in Stoneham that happens to be on the other side and closer to Melrose. I agree that Glenn street also gets the brunt of whatever traffic goes through that way and they are Melrose residents. Mr. DePinto should be embarrassed as to what he stated in this article. Think about a do not enter sign to that street for the rush hour times like they do on Pond Street. There may be no solutions to a problem like this and they may have to live with it. They chose to live on this street and we all have to live with choices we make.

The simple solution is a paved speed-slowing berm (not just an asphalt bump) of the kind used in Cambridge in the middle of the residential stretch of Ravine Road.

Keeping upper Ravine one way only has hope of working IF one undertakes the veryy expensive project of widening Pond Street's approach to the LFP, putting lights upon along upper Pond St, and also creating proper turn lanes on the LFP, et cet.

Resident of lower Ravine are entitled to have speed issues addressed; they are not entitled to a trickle of volume, as everyone bought on that street knowing it was a major connecting route. The speed berm accomplishes this, efficiently.

If Melrose people have to take Melrose streets, just think of how much traffic we can free up on LynnFells Pkwy when every street from Stoneham into Melrose is made a do not enter. Melrose officials should have done that as soon as Stoneham stuck it to us with Ravine.

Very intelligent suggestions here, as well as some laugh-out-loud hilarious ones! Good job to all!

Ravine Road was not desinged to be a busy street and yes when we bought our house we knew it was a cut thru but what we did not know about was the speed of the cars and the reckless driving (people passing you on the right when trying to take a right into your driveway). I have almost been clobbered a number of times in the crosswalk with the cars coming of WestWyoming at break neck speed. And as far as speed bumps go talk about bringing the value of your property down. I think a solution to the problem should be resolved before any thing is done to the one way. I should think peoples safety should come before convience.

Perhaps the selectman should make a roundtrip ride to oak grove station between 5-6 one weeknight using this route, and then comment on how it doesn't affect stoneham drivers.

Any word yet on the meeting that was supposed to take place on this issue between the DCR and Stoneham (curious as well if a rep from Melrose was present or was even invited)?

Zoo Lights are starting tomorrow night correct? Can't wait to see how that is going to impact the intersection now as well.