Dear Margaret I was one of the people who responded to your survey and appreciated the chance to provide input. I also find it puzzling that the solution would be to put in a speed control bump on Lincoln Road. Except when the safety patrol guard is there, the issue is getting cars to stop, not just slow down. A crossing light seems much more appropriate and provides good training for school kids about how to cross safely. Since this provides access to the well used Pierce Park Fields, this seems like a better solution for both older and younger people in town. I hope that the Town will reconsider this plan.
thanks David Giber On Sun, Dec 14, 2025 at 7:15 AM 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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