Comprehensive Town-Wide Speed Limit Analysis Underway To Increase Safety for Walkers, Riders
(Saugus, MA) January 7, 2019 – Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree is pleased to announce that a comprehensive, Town-wide speed limit analysis is underway in the Town of Saugus as part of a continued effort to improve roadway safety and create a safer and more secure environment for walkers and riders alike.
The Town of Saugus has engaged The Engineering Corp (TEC) of Andover, Mass. to take a global approach towards addressing speeding and traffic congestion within the Town. TEC will work closely with Town officials and community representatives over the next several months to identify and study areas where traffic volumes and speeds are a concern, and take a comprehensive look at suggested speed limits for Town streets and identify the best placement for accompanying signage.
“The safety of our residents and visitors within our Town has always been and will continue to be a top priority to this administration and Board of Selectmen,” said Town Manager Crabtree. “With this comprehensive Town-wide speed limit analysis and corresponding traffic safety improvement plan, we aim to increase protection and peace of mind for walkers and drivers within our community through a consistent, uniform approach.”
TEC will conduct intensive research and analysis over the next few months. The Town and TEC will then present their findings at a public meeting in the spring. Residents will be encouraged to attend this meeting to learn more about TEC’s findings and vocalize their suggestions on where traffic mitigation measures should be implemented. Residents’ suggestions will then be incorporated into TEC’s recommendations, and a final report will be submitted to the Town.
The Town Manager and Board of Selectmen have continuously encouraged the public to share any input and concerns regarding traffic safety with the Town. The Town is pleased that many residents and stakeholders have vocalized their opinions at meetings and through phone calls and correspondence to the Town, which have all been presented to TEC and will be taken into consideration as part of their global analysis.
The Town of Saugus then partnered with WalkBoston, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to improving walking conditions in cities and towns across Massachusetts, to conduct an initial assessment of the community’s roadways and crossings. Residents’ concerns and comments were also shared with WalkBoston, and the organization recently completed a comprehensive report of their findings with recommended improvements for the Town.
The Town of Saugus also recently received a shared grant of $1.5 million from the Baker-Polito Administration to fund trail designs for the Northern Strand Community Trail project in Saugus, Everett, Lynn, Malden, and Revere. The Town has requested that safer crossings, wayfinding, and landscape amenities be major components of the improvement project. The Town distributed a copy of WalkBoston’s report to the architectural firm working with the Town on the design for the Northern Strand Community Trail project, Brown, Richardson + Rowe, so that it will be taken into consideration for the project’s final design.
The Town has hosted two public meetings on the Northern Strand Community Trail design, during which residents and Town officials shared their input on the safety of crossings and traffic congestion. This feedback has been incorporated into the trail’s preliminary design.
The Town Manager, Board of Selectmen, and TEC will continue to work collaboratively with the residents of Saugus to address and mitigate traffic safety concerns within the Town of Saugus, and to make the community a safer place for residents and visitors. The residents of Saugus are encouraged to continue to participate in this process and to provide feedback to the Town.
“The cornerstone to implementing change will consist of clear and concise signage, traffic enforcement, and an ongoing educational campaign for the public,” said Town Manager Crabtree. “This is a 40-plus-year community issue that we do not want to fix in a piecemeal fashion, or with a Band-Aid approach. We are doing our due diligence to ensure the proper steps are taken, input from stakeholders is heard, and a professional traffic engineering analysis is conducted prior to implementing new safety measures throughout the community to make our streets the safest possible to walk, ride, and to drive a vehicle.”
Please contact the Town Manager’s office at 781-231-4111 for more information, or with any questions.
About TEC
Established in 2001, TEC is a transportation engineering and surveying firm with over 45 planning, permitting, design and construction professionals and support staff. They have worked in the Town of Saugus since 2006 and recently completed the Water Street Bridge Replacement over the Saugus River. For more information about TEC, visit www.theengineeringcorp.com.
About The Town of Saugus
The Town of Saugus, Massachusetts, is a family-friendly, historic neighborhood Town located along the north shore, ten miles north of Boston. First settled in 1629, Saugus is home to historic sites, top-tier public services, and a thriving business community. Strong community support, a forward-thinking approach to town government, rich recreational opportunities, affordable choices, and easy access to all the amenities that Boston has to offer – they all contribute to make Saugus a Town where businesses flourish and families make their home.
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