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NORTH ATTLEBORO - Officials are looking again at reopening Allen Avenue East to motorists, and selectmen have put the issue on the October town meeting warrant.

The board has not taken a position on the matter, but agreed to include the article on the town meeting warrant at the request of Selectman Michael Thompson.

Thompson had previously asked that the issue be studied when selectmen talked about requesting $3,600 to repair the electronic gate that stops motorists from driving down the street.

Allen Avenue East runs from the Fashion Crossing shopping center on Route 1 to Old Post Road.

While the town's fire trucks and police cars have equipment to open the gate, which was installed when Lowe's Home Improvement Store opened, the gate has never worked properly. The town's traffic study committee, which includes representatives from the police and fire department, unanimously voted against opening the roadway to motorists.

"From a traffic standpoint, Allen Avenue East and Mount Hope Street don't have a good line of vision," Town Administrator Mark Fisher said. "They want to have the road available for emergency services only - in case Route 1 is gridlocked."

It is not the first time the town has considered reopening the road to traffic.

Residents submitted an article to annual town meeting in April 2002 asking that the roadway be reopened. However, representative town meeting members rejected the proposal.