WORCESTER—The Worcester City Council this Tuesday is harnessed again with another full agenda that contains some contentious citywide issues. Key items include adopting a new citywide speed limit proposal, further discussion on Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) plan to convert hotels into dorms, and a resolution in support of Question 2, which could end the MCAS graduation requirement if passed in November.
One of the top agenda items is a proposed reduction of speed limits to 25 mph citywide, with 20 mph limits in school zones. The Traffic and Parking Committee has submitted recommendations, along with a citywide survey on traffic safety.
If approved, these changes would mean adopting state regulations aimed at improving road safety and reducing accidents in residential and business districts. The city council is also expected to discuss traffic calming measures and Complete Streets initiatives to ensure safer roads for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Still steaming on the table is the debate over WPI’s plan to purchase and convert two hotels into student dormitories. City officials will meet in executive session to explore legal actions in response to WPI’s move, which has sparked concerns about the impact on the Gateway Park area and negative effects on the city’s tax roll and tourism.
Additionally, the council says yay or nay to several grants, including $300,000 in workforce training funds to support English language learning and job training for migrants in emergency shelters, and $236,500 in arts funding from the State Lottery Fund.
Other highlights on this week’s agenda include:
- Speeding prevention: A request to use unmanned police cars as a traffic-calming measure throughout the city.
- Rodent action plan: A proposal for a Worcester Rodent Action Plan (WRAP), modeled after Boston’s, to address the growing rodent population.
- Eliminating the MCAS graduation requirement: A resolution in support of Question 2, which aims to replace the MCAS exam with successful completion of the standard coursework as the requirement for high school graduation.
Worcester City Council meets on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at City Hall in the Esther Howland (south) Chamber at 6:30 p.m.
Editor Charlene Arsenault can be reached at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
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