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Council accepts consultant recommendations for Prospect/Berlin intersection; striping, road‑edge work and possible traffic calming planned
Summary
Following a VHB (consultant) review, the council voted to pursue the short‑ and long‑term recommendations for the Prospect/Berlin intersection: repainting/striping this spring, modifying pavement geometry where feasible and evaluating traffic‑calming options (speed cushions, median islands) with a requested 4–6 month planning timetable.
The Barre City Council on Jan. 28 endorsed a consultant memorandum and directed staff to pursue the short‑ and long‑term traffic safety recommendations for the Prospect/Berlin Street intersection.
The consultant (VHB) concluded a four‑way stop is not warranted and could, in some scenarios, reduce safety because drivers unfamiliar with a new control can behave unpredictably. Instead, VHB recommended short‑term fixes—line striping and targeted sight‑line clearing—and longer‑term engineering measures, including trimming pavement to tighten the intersection, adding speed cushions or a raised median/traffic island.
Council vote and timeline Councillor Guston moved to adopt the VHB recommendations and move forward with both short‑ and long‑term measures; the motion was seconded and passed. Councilors asked staff to begin short‑term work (striping) in the spring; the public works director said striping typically begins in May because paint requires warmer temperatures. The council also asked the manager and public works to examine median island design, winter maintenance impacts and plowability and to return with cost estimates and prioritization within 4–6 months.
Neighborhood concerns and next steps Residents who live near the intersection reiterated visibility problems caused by vegetation and a chain‑link fence in the right‑of‑way; several asked the city to remove or relocate the fence and to maintain vegetation to improve sight lines. Councilors directed staff to check property mapping and right‑of‑way lines to determine whether the fence sits within city property and to pursue removal or vegetation management if it is.
City staff noted constraints: winter plowing, construction slate and limited in‑house capacity mean the city must prioritize projects and may need to contract some work. Councilors requested that staff consult other Vermont communities that use raised medians or winter‑removable modular calming devices to understand maintenance practices and costs.
Ending: The council approved moving forward with VHB’s recommended short‑ and long‑term measures and asked staff to return with design and cost estimates within 4–6 months.
