Adams County committee: New Chester must fund traffic study before lowering speed limit on County G

Town of New Chester representatives asked Adams County's highway committee to reduce the posted speed limit on County G from 55 to 45 mph, citing a petition with more than 100 signatures from residents and users of the road.

Pat, highway department staff, said the department reviewed crash history for the segment and found three reportable incidents dating back to 2010. "In 2010 there was 1 injured, an impaired driver, and lack of use of restraint," Pat said. He added there were property-damage-only incidents in later years and that his office's crash-portal access provides only limited details.

Pat told the committee the department believes a speed change is within the committee's authority but should be based on a traffic engineering study. "Reduce the speed by 10. That is within the committee's rights. However, I will I will state that I believe it must be done on the basis of a of a traffic engineering study," he said.

Committee members noted the petition contains many signatures from people who do not live full time in Adams County and questioned whether that should affect the decision. The committee also discussed the risk that lowering the posted speed could encourage more passing maneuvers on a largely no-passing stretch.

The consultant AECOM had previously provided a speed study for the area; Pat said AECOM indicated it could honor the earlier price for a new study, with the cost described in the meeting as under $10,000.

A committee member moved that the county proceed only if the town of New Chester pays for the traffic study. The motion passed on a voice vote recorded in the transcript as "motion carried." No roll-call tally was given.

Ending: The county will not initiate a speed-limit posting change on County G until the town funds an engineering study; if the study recommends a lower limit, staff will return with that recommendation and any proposed signing changes.