The cross walk lite at 117 and Lincoln Rd is habitually down On Sat, Dec 13, 2025, 3:05 PM Margaret Olson <[email protected]> wrote:
> The town’s five year plan is available on the Transportation > Coalition website: > https://www.lincolntown.org/1552/Transportation-Coalition > > The town’s engineering consultants designed the crosswalk - all > infrastructure improvements are professionally designed. Site lines > determined the exact location of the new crosswalk as they do all > crosswalks. > > Margaret > > On Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 2:51 PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Past road projects were informed by professional guidance, standards and >> research. >> I am surprised to find that a survey response by under 100 residents >> seems to now guide decisions. >> >> The 117/Old Sudbury Rd. crosswalk is beautifully executed. >> However, it leads to a narrow, busy road (Old Sudbury Rd.) with no >> shoulder, no path, no sidewalk.. >> >> When the Roadway and Traffic Committee (the RTC) was formed, clear >> guidelines and standards were established for all such decisions. >> Crosswalk locations were determined to be safest and most appropriate >> where site lines were clear and the crosswalk connect paths and/or trials. >> >> It would be instructive to have the Transportation Coalition share the >> rational developed through guidance documents and professional reports that >> direct the expenditure of tax dollars on these projects. >> >> >> >> On Dec 13, 2025, at 2:18 PM, ٍSarah Postlethwait <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> “The crosswalk by town hall has new, hopefully more visible signs. It >> will be upgraded to a speed table in the spring, once the water main >> patches have settled. The speed table will give drivers, pedestrians, and >> Public Safety experience with this new traffic calming measure. We will >> then consider whether speed tables are well suited to other crosswalks in >> town.” >> >> I am genuinely struggling to understand why a traffic table is being >> presented as the preferred solution for Lincoln Road, particularly given >> its well-documented drawbacks and the availability of safer, more effective >> alternatives. >> >> Traffic tables carry significant and foreseeable downsides. They can >> delay emergency response vehicles, create safety hazards for motorcyclists >> due to abrupt elevation changes, and cause damage to vehicle suspensions, >> undercarriages, and front splitters—especially once the Table has a few >> seasons of New England weather has left it in less than optimal condition. >> Is the Town prepared to accept liability for vehicle damage caused by this >> installation? If not, why is a measure with such predictable consequences >> being advanced? >> >> Moreover, a single traffic table does nothing to meaningfully reduce >> overall vehicle speeds along Lincoln Road. At best, it creates a brief >> bottleneck where drivers slow momentarily, only to accelerate immediately >> afterward. This does not address speeding behavior along the rest of the >> roadway and offers no comprehensive traffic-calming benefit. >> >> It is also worth noting that traffic tables are not safely traversed at >> 20-30mph. In practical use, drivers must slow to approximately 15–20 mph to >> avoid vehicle damage. This creates an inconsistent and potentially >> hazardous driving environment, particularly for unfamiliar drivers, >> cyclists, and emergency vehicles. >> >> Compounding this concern are ongoing discussions about asking residents >> to contribute financially to repaving Lincoln Road- work that will likely >> be necessary sooner rather than later due to the extremely poor patching >> performed after the water main replacement. If repaving is imminent, would >> the newly installed traffic table need to be removed and rebuilt? If so, >> how is this an efficient or fiscally responsible use of public or resident >> funds? >> >> There are proven, safer alternatives that address pedestrian safety >> without introducing these risks. For example, pedestrian-activated crossing >> signals, such as the flashing system used at Walden Pond, have been shown >> to improve driver compliance and pedestrian visibility while preserving >> road continuity. Why was this option dismissed by the Transportation >> Coalition, and on what evidence was that decision based? >> >> Finally, it remains unclear who would be responsible for the >> installation, maintenance, and long-term upkeep of the proposed traffic >> table. What are the projected costs, and how will they be funded? >> >> Given these unresolved concerns, it is difficult to justify a traffic >> table as the best, or even a prudent solution for Lincoln Road. >> Sarah Postlethwait >> >> >> On Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM Margaret Olson < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Everyone, >>> >>> We wanted to share with you the results of the Transportation Coalition >>> survey and give you an update on recently completed and upcoming projects. >>> >>> The Survey: >>> >>> The survey opened on August 26th and closed on October 13th. 312 of you >>> responded to our outreach: postal mailing, flyers, and emails. To all who >>> responded: Thank you! The feedback we received will help guide our >>> long-term planning. The Transportation Coalition will continue to partner >>> with the Town's Public Safety Department and DPW on road safety and >>> maintenance, and to fund as much as possible with a combination of state >>> Chapter 90 money and grants. >>> >>> Resident’s top-rated priorities were additional roadside paths/sidewalks >>> (82 votes), road maintenance (77 votes), and speed/traffic control (61 >>> votes). Answers to the question "if you could pick one project to improve >>> pedestrian or cyclist safety in your neighborhood, what would it be?" >>> reflected these priorities: sidewalks and speed. The intersection of 117 >>> and Tower Road and additional bike lanes were the largest group of specific >>> responses. >>> >>> When it comes to taxes to support improvements, 146 of you are opposed, >>> 129 are in favor, and 27 responded with "maybe". >>> >>> Projects: >>> >>> The crosswalk at Old Sudbury Road and Route 117 is now complete! It >>> consists of new pedestrian refuge islands and a pedestrian activated >>> warning light. This was funded by a Complete Streets grant. Attached is a >>> picture for those of you who do not often drive along 117. >>> >>> The crosswalk by town hall has new, hopefully more visible signs. It >>> will be upgraded to a speed table in the spring, once the water main >>> patches have settled. The speed table will give drivers, pedestrians, and >>> Public Safety experience with this new traffic calming measure. We will >>> then consider whether speed tables are well suited to other crosswalks in >>> town. A "speed table" is a traffic calming device consisting of a long, >>> flat topped speed hump that allows vehicles to maintain speeds of around >>> 20-30 mph while still slowing traffic for safer pedestrian crossings. >>> Attached is an image of a speed hump from the Federal Highway Division. >>> >>> And, as most of you probably know, the second half of the water main >>> project on Lincoln Road will begin in the spring/summer. >>> >>> The 2A repaving by Mass DOT will not be put out to bid until 2029. At >>> least some of the 2A crosswalks and pedestrian protections that the Town >>> advocated for remain as part of the plan. >>> >>> MassDOT has informed us that the Route 126 bridge project will start >>> this coming summer and is projected to finish in the summer of 2031. >>> >>> >>> Margaret Olson >>> >>> Chair, Transportation Coalition >>> >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
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