Council approves new traffic-calming policy
Calling the document a "work in progress," Town Councilors April 9 unanimously
approved a new traffic-calming policy.
The policy provides a mechanism for citizens concerned about traffic safety
in their neighborhoods for contacting town officials for possible action.
It also guides town staff in making appropriate responses.
"The purpose of the policy is to attempt to balance the desire of many residents
to have control over traffic-calming, and to feel there is something that
they can do, with the needs of the Town to have a consistent, and fair, and
reasonably efficient way of implementing such a policy," said Town Councilor
Cynthia Dill, who chaired a citizen committee charged with drafting the policy.
Neil Williams, Cape Elizabeth chief of police, told councilors that his
department receives complaints primarily about speeding in neighborhoods
each spring, when citizens increase their outdoor activities, and each
fall, when school begins. Often complainants call immediately for the
installation of speed bumps, and they will often contact other town staff
when their requests are refused.
"This gives consistency," Williams said of the policy. "It also gives the
department heads and myself a clear understanding of where we go."
The policy outlines courses of action citizens may take when requesting ways
for calming traffic in their neighborhoods. Richard Berman, a Hannaford Cove
Road residents who served on the Traffic Calming/Roadway Safety working group,
outlined the policy procedure through a flow chart.
Citizens seeking traffic-calming in their neighborhoods must submit a request
in writing for a speed study to be conducted by the police. Speeding may
be addressed through passive measures, such as speed notification sign boards,
neighborhood mailings and periodic radar enforcement; standard measures,
such as turn restrictions or pavement markings; or, in serious cases, "physical
alteration" control measures such as speed tables, pedestrian islands or
traffic circles.
The degree of traffic-calming will depend on the type of road, speed and
volume of traffic, presence of "pedestrian generators" such as a school or
park, and agreement among neighbors as to what kind of measure is needed.
Berman called the last component "neighborhood buy-in," and it was common
among sample roadway policies studied from other communities.
Each degree of traffic calming is more costly, Berman pointed out. Consequently
the most restrictive measures - physical alterations - will require 75 percent
neighborhood approval, and approval by the Town Council.
Dill said that roadway safety was one of the reasons she ran for the Town
Council, and that she pushed to have roadway safety among council goals in
2006. The resulting Traffic Calming/Roadway Safety working group included
18 members of the public, Town staff and elected officials. The group held
nine meetings on the draft policy, held one public forum, conducted site
walks and gathered 45 pieces of communication from citizens.
During a public hearing on the policy April 9, Oakwood Road resident Gary
Beckwith said the goal of roadway safety will depend on continually educating
drivers, and on continual enforcement.
The policy was one of three goals taken on by the working group. The group
will continue work on specific recommendations for pedestrian and bicycle
safety; and recommendations to enhance pedestrian-friendliness in the Town
Center. During the group's deliberations, technical amendments to the policy
may be drafted and submitted to the council for approval.
The group's next meeting will be on at 8:45 a.m. April 27 in the William
H. Jordan Conference Room at Town Hall.
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