Carlisle council hears plan for traffic calming on Bedford and East; public favors paint-plus-humps trial

Jeff Bergston, the project presenter, updated the Borough Council of Carlisle on Aug. 14 on proposed traffic calming measures for the Bedford and East Street corridors, which run from North Hanover Street to East South Street. Bergston outlined three options: a paint-only “road diet”; a quick-build approach that adds removable vertical devices and speed humps; and a permanent full-build using concrete and asphalt that he said would cost about $2,400,000.

The proposal, developed with input from East Side Neighbors and through work with Dalwood Engineering, was presented as a response to resident complaints about speeding and vehicle racing where the streets have two lanes in one direction. Bergston said the roundabout at the Bedford–East intersection was the preferred intersection treatment in the concept plan but that the roundabout, and other heavy construction, is part of the full-build option.

Bergston summarized the trade-offs: option 1 (paint only) is lowest cost and quickest to design and implement and preserves flexibility; option 2 (quick-build) adds temporary physical devices such as flexible delineators and speed humps to improve effectiveness but would require a smaller street sweeper and extra operating…