This is a very interesting idea. It would also bring our town more revenue from speeding tickets.
I would love to hear the opinions on all of this from our police & fire departments. On Sun, Dec 14, 2025 at 10:14 AM Nick Gardner <[email protected]> wrote: > Why not just install automated speed cameras at all major points? Cheap, > prevents speeding, works all hours of the day, and frees up police to do > other duties. > > -Nick > > On Sun, Dec 14, 2025, 09:24 cmontie montie.net <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Having lived at 29 Lincoln Road (the house in front on the proposed >> traffic table near the Old Town Hall), I can say with experience of the >> location—with a master bedroom on the front of the house—that I pity the >> residents whose homes are nearby. >> >> All day and all night, they will hear Thunk-Thunk… Thunk-Thunk with each >> car that passes by as they hit the traffic table. That would drive me >> nuts. Are the neighbors aware of this potential downside? >> >> As an alternative: How many hours per week do the Lincoln police sit >> parked in the Old Town Hall parking lot and enforce the speed limit on >> Lincoln Road? I imagine, with some consistent enforcement, that if that >> spot developed a reputation as a speed trap, the issue would largely be >> resolved. The cost of a moving violation and points against insurance seems >> like a good deterrent. Has a concerted effort—with an actual plan—been put >> in place to enlist Lincoln’s public safety team to address this issue? And >> if yes, I’m curious, what was it and what were the results? >> >> Best, >> Carolyn >> >> >> >> > Message: 13 >> > Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2025 21:48:21 -0500 >> > From: Diana Smith <[email protected]> >> > To: ?Sarah Postlethwait <[email protected]> >> > Cc: Margaret Olson <[email protected]>, Lincoln Talk >> > <[email protected]> >> > Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Roadway Decisions-Policy Framework. >> > Question >> > Message-ID: >> > <cajiljvqoktko4ojdwu_tu1qb+nwdv42u4gc1cefaoyfihmi...@mail.gmail.com> >> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> > >> > You don't need to be a traffic engineer to figure out that traffic >> tables >> > are a bad idea. (See Sarah Postlethwaite's letter.). Everyone I have >> talked >> > to about the issue agrees that Lincoln should not be committing to >> traffic >> > tables/ speed tables. >> > Diana Smith >> > >> > ?On Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 9:26?PM ??Sarah Postlethwait?? < >> [email protected]> >> > wrote:? >> > >> >> Who is funding the proposed traffic table scheduled for installation >> this >> >> spring? >> >> It is extremely difficult for residents to track decisions being made >> >> across multiple boards, each operating on separate 5?10 year planning >> >> timelines. I believe many residents will be genuinely surprised when a >> >> traffic table appears, as this is not something the community has >> asked for >> >> or supported. >> >> If residents are consistently requesting sidewalks next to roadways, >> why >> >> are limited funds- even grant funds- being allocated to traffic tables >> and >> >> bike lanes instead of addressing those clearly stated priorities? >> >> Sarah Postlethwait >> >> On Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 5:21?PM Margaret Olson < >> [email protected]> >> >> wrote: >> >>> The survey was part of a continuous feedback process. We have the >> bicycle >> >>> and pedestrian master plan, developed over several years with multiple >> >>> neighborhood and public outreach meetings, we present at state of the >> town, >> >>> and we send out surveys. We obviously can?t update a master plan very >> often >> >>> but we can ?check in? with the town through these lighter mechanisms >> to >> >>> make sure there have been no major changes. >> >>>> On Sat, Dec 13, 2025 at 4:09?PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>>> The question was not so much about crosswalk design on 117. >> >>>> It is impeccable. >> >>>> The question raised was the rational for location-the general policy >> to >> >>>> guide such decisions, and the advisability of using under 100 citizen >> >>>> response to a survey to guide tax investments in public safety and >> roadway >> >>>> questions. >> >>>> On Dec 13, 2025, at 3:04?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. >> > >> > -- >> > Diana Smith >> > PO Box 6294 >> > Lincoln MA 01773 >> > Cell: 617 803 8022 >> > -------------- next part -------------- >> > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> > URL: < >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/attachments/20251213/4bddf2da/attachment-0001.htm >> > >> > >> > ------------------------- >> -- >> 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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