AMHERST — A series of safety improvements aimed at reducing the likelihood of nighttime college student gatherings north of the University of Massachusetts campus and reminding motorists when they are in the vicinity of Fort River Elementary School are moving forward.
The Selectboard Monday unanimously approved requests brought forward by public safety and school officials.
On Hobart Lane, two new street lights will be installed, while a third street light will be put at the busy bus stop near Crestview Apartments on North Pleasant Street
In a July 19 letter to the board, Police Chief Scott Livingstone wrote that the added lighting will reduce the amount of drunken revelers on Hobart Lane, based on a survey by town and UMass police done using the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.
The survey examined Townehouse Apartments on Meadow Street and Hobart Lane, recommending various strategies to improve conditions, with support from property owners.
“Given the long history of disturbances and nuisance in these areas, we believe that improvement of street lighting would be an appropriate and necessary exercise of the board’s authority,” Livingstone wrote.
Police Capt. Jennifer Gundersen told the Selectboard she can attest that Hobart Lane is often pitch black, making it hard for police officers to see partygoers.
“We want to monitor the crowd a little better to understand what’s going on there,” Gundersen said.
Officers, she added, also want to be seen. Often they will put on their cruisers’ high beam lights, but this source of light is lost when they are forced to respond elsewhere.
DPW Superintendent Guilford Mooring said the new lights will be downcast, cobra-style lights designed to reduce glare and not be intrusive to homes, and cost about $3,000 combined to install.
When they will go in is uncertain, in part because Eversource owns the poles.
“I think because it’s a public safety request it will rise to the top,” Town Manager Paul Bockelman said.
Another light will go up on a pole at a bus stop on Old Belchertown Road, based on a request by UMass Transit.
Meanwhile, the school zone on South East Street near Fort River School will get flashing lights and signage similar to those that already exist at Crocker Farm and Wildwood schools.
Two 20-mph school zone signs will go on the street and four warning signs will be positioned on Pelham Road, Main Street, North East Street and Belchertown Road, which are all more than 100 feet away from where the school zone begins.
Temporary signs at $200 apiece and pavement markings will be complete before the school year, Mooring said. The flashing lights, at $6,500 per pair, will be installed later.