According to Director of Public Works Tom Daley, his department has been in touch with the highway safety committee on building an island at the intersection to protect the flagpole from a similar accident and change traffic flow in the area.  The island must first be designed, said Daley, to allow tractor trailers and fire engines to maneuver turns in that area.

“To do that we have to make sure we ensure [vehicles like this] can make that swing,” he said.  “That involves getting out there and surveying the curblines and then designing something, but right now it’s just too cold and we’ve had snow [around that area].”

Daley said he expects the flagpole and the new island to make their arrival sometime this spring, after crews can get out and build the new structure.

“We’ve been in discussions with the highway safety committee on ensuring vehicles can move and fixing that crazy intersection,” said Daley.  “If we [change the intersection], we want to do it right.”

Daley said he has heard from some citizens on the missing flagpole, but assures that his office is working on it despite the severe temperatures and weather we’ve seen this winter.

On the night of July 20, a Jeep Cherokee struck the pole, which was removed the next day by the DPW for repairs.