Community Corner
Pan-Mass Challenge Cyclists Expected to Tie Up Roadways
While thousands cyclists embark on their journey to support the Pan-Mass Challenge, motorists should be wary of their route and take detours if possible in Dover, Sherborn and Medfield.
The Pan-Mass Challenge kicks off this weekend, with several routes of the race running through Dover, Sherborn, and Medfield on their way from Wellesley to Provincetown. 5,500 cyclists are expected to participate, which is likely to cause road tie-ups along the different routes.
According to the Pan-Mass Challenge website, several different rides will have cyclists working their way through area towns. One particular route begins at 7:00 a.m. Saturday in Wellesley will go through Main St. in Dover, moving onto Farm St. and into Medfield center. This route, according to PMC’s website, can take anywhere from 3.5 hours for experienced riders to 11 depending on the amount of rests cyclists take, so motorists should expect cyclists to be riding through the roadways throughout the day.
On Sunday, one shorter route for riders will be a loops from Wellesley, through the same roadways in Dover, Sherborn and Medfield the day before, but will go down to Norfolk, head to Walpole to head back up to Westwood, before reaching the finish line back where they started. This particular ride begins at 7:30 a.m. This route can last anywhere from 2.5 hours to six hours.
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Medfield police Sergeant Wilhelmi said the department will have officers stationed at different locations, one at North and Main St., and a second one by the intersection of Rt. 27 and South St.
“We’ll be set up there to make sure they can safely get across,” he said. “We won’t have set-up detours.”
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In Dover, four officers in total will be manning the roadways, according to Officer Dave Chaisson.
“The chief will be assisting traffic, he’ll be donating his time,” he said. In addition, three other officers will be spread out over Main St. to make sure cyclists can safely make their way through, according to Chaisson.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes while the many participating cyclists make their way through the towns this weekend.
The Pan-Mass Challenge is the largest athletic fundraiser in the country, with all proceeds benefitting the Jimmy Fund for cancer treatment and research.
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