Chester board continues speed limit discussion

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Speed  limits once again took center stage at the Chester Select Board’s Nov. 18 meeting with a discussion of the data collected on River and High streets and Andover Road and requests by residents of those areas seeking reductions in the speed allowed.

To see the speed and vehicle data, click on the name of the road.

• River Street
• High Street
• Andover Road

Pointing to the low number of cars driving on High Street and the average speeds near or below the  limit, board member Lee Gustafson pointed to enforcement to deal with a few outliers.  At the same time, River Street, which has much higher traffic and a speed limit of 30 mph, the average speed of drivers was 29 mph with 85 percent of traffic traveling at less than 35 mph.

Board member Leigh Dakin noted that River Street is more heavily populated and because it is busier with no sidewalks she believes that the limits should be reduced to 25 mph.

Andover Road saw higher speeds, including a couple of outliers — one traveling at 106 mph. Town Manager Julie Hance suggested that might have been a trooper responding to a call.

“Does lowering the speed limit make people go slower?” asked board member Heather Chase.

“People drive at the speed they think the road will take,” said Gustafson noting that limits are only as effective as the enforcement.

Chase said she was not sure the board should change speed limits without trying to do more enforcement first.

Gustafson agreed and suggested revisiting in six months after more enforcement and more speed and traffic numbers.

Chester resident Ginger Roper disagreed asking, “How does it negatively impact anybody to reduce the speed limit on a road? It doesn’t cost money and it’s safer for people living on a road.”

Hance said that Police Chief Rick Cloud says that making the limit “too low for the purpose of the road” can lead to other problems, including unsafe passing.

“It’s not if but when there will be a tragic accident on that road,” said Andover Road resident Ralph Falanga. “Isn’t it the  safety of residents that should be a priority? Right now I’m not feeling it …if I sound angry, yes I am. Disappointed and disgusted.”

Acknowledging Roper’s and Falanga’s feelings, board chair Arne Jonynas said it appeared that the board consensus was to get more information.

In other business

The board approved the “wayfinding” plan for signage that would help visitors navigate the town and focus more attention on the Green. The signs will show people who normally turn right on Maple Street while driving north on Rt. 103 that there’s more to Chester than they knew.

The board also approved the annual request by the Chester Snowmobile Club to use portions of several town roads to connect to VAST snowmobile trails.

Hance told the board that the Vermont League of Cities and Towns has hired Trevor Whipple — a former Burlington Police officer, who  worked on that department’s policies to help smaller towns with their policies. She noted that the town has sent its current policies to VLCT for review and that as members, there is no charge for it.