The issue of speeding in the village is a significant concern to many people. And where speeding patterns typically play out is on town roads including Broadway, George Street, Shore Road, and Bluff Road. For background, town roads are those that generally run north-south and they are the responsibility of the town. Village roads generally run east-west and are managed by Bayside.
The Safety Committee met recently to discuss research that Steve Kazilionis has done, including his discussions with a Department of Transportation traffic expert. Steve explained best practices for dealing with speeding – more specifically, the ways that Maine communities are attempting to calm traffic with stop signs and speed humps.
According to the DOT expert Steve consulted, stop signs are not allowed as single-purpose tools to address speeding along stretches of roads. They are effective, however, at calming traffic at intersections.
Steve also briefed the Safety Committee on the DOT expert’s suggestion that speed humps be installed in a couple of locations as an experiment. The DOT provides speed humps on loan and could be removed after the summer season.
At the July 13th Overseers Meeting, the board approved the Safety Committee’s recommendations that standard stop signs be installed at key intersections – on Broadway (perhaps at Pleasant Street & Park Row); on George Street at Sea Street; and on Bluff Road at Main Street.
The Overseers also recommended, pending town approval, that speed humps be tried as an experiment in two locations: on Boadway as cars enter the village and on George Street, prior to Griffin Street. Exact locations would be finalized later.
The formal request for the above-mentioned standard stop signs and speed hump experiments on town roads was made by Janae Novotny at last night’s meeting of the Northport Select Board. It’s important to note here that this request is the start of a process.
The town board agreed to study the issue further, including by consulting with the DOT, and perhaps requesting a DOT traffic study on traffic volume and speeding at various locations. The Select Board also is interested to learn about what other Maine towns do to address traffic calming.
Last, though not least: Please expect a means for public input on this issue before any final recommendations or a vote by the Northport Select Board.
Look for further updates as this process unfolds.
Michael Tirrell, Overseer and Safety Committee Chair