Freetown Boards Review Four Corners Redesign Options, Defer Design Decision

FREETOWN — September 14, 2023 — Freetown boards hear four redesign options for the hazardous Four Corners intersection in Assonet village but take no vote. The Select Board, Historical Commission, and Planning Board met jointly September 14 to review conceptual designs by Environmental Partners ranging from a $735,000 traffic signal to a $970,000 mini roundabout, with project manager Margo Schoenfelder noting the town is now eligible for up to $500,000 in MassDOT Complete Streets Tier 3 funding toward construction costs. Jim Fitzgerald, Environmental Partners' director of Transportation, told the boards that roundabouts "truly restrict the movement by the motorists" to slow speeds, pushing back on residents who said traffic signals would better protect pedestrians. Abutters including the owner of Assonet Animal Hospital raised unresolved questions about construction staging, property impacts, and whether traffic modeling should await data from the planned nearby MBTA South Coast Rail station. The boards agreed to hold further engagement sessions before narrowing the field of four concepts; the next MassDOT funding deadline is May 1, 2024.