Residents of Slip Road in Greenfield are concerned that even at a posted 30-mile-per-hour speed limit, cars drive too fast on the road, asking that the Select Board consider posting a lower limit.
During its Select Board meeting last week, the board discussed the matter with Police Chief Brian Giammarino, but ultimately didn’t take any vote on the matter.
“Does lowering the speed limit actually slow traffic?” asked Select Board Chair Margaret Charig-Bliss of Giammarino.
“It really depends,” Giammarino replied. “Your habitual speeders are going to do it anyway. Other drivers will slow down.”
However, Giammarino noted, he doubts that the speed of cars on Slip Road is as bad as percieved by the residents there. But, he added, there have been a few accidents in that area, and some were related to excessive speed.
“It’s a high traffic road,” said Giammarino.
Giammarino said he had no objection to lowering Slip Road to 25-miles-per-hour and that he would enforce whatever the board decided upon. He pointed out that Zephyr Lake, a connecting road, is posted at 25-miles-per-hour.
The board discussed whether it may assist in the decision if they knew what the habitual speed of the drivers in that area were. Greenfield does not have a stationary speed monitoring device. Giammarino told the board it is likely the town could borrow one from a neighboring department, but they would be liable if anything happened to the equipment while it was in their possession.
The board tabled the discussion without making a decision.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.