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Engineering reports Valley Avenue speed study; residents press for additional calming before detour use
Summary
An engineering speed study found 85th-percentile speeds near 40 mph on Valley Avenue; staff and residents discussed intersection fixes, potential speed tables and increased enforcement ahead of a DOT detour that will route heavier traffic onto the street.
City engineering reported on a December 2024 speed study for Valley Avenue and committee members and residents pressed staff for additional calming measures before the road becomes a detour for a MaineDOT bridge project.
Engineering said the 80th/85th-percentile speed from the December study was about 40 mph on a roadway posted at 25 mph; the average speed over the week-long radar deployment was about 34 mph. Staff told the committee they examined intersections (notably the Bruce Road intersection) and identified sight-distance problems tied to ledge and a utility pole that staff propose to remove or relocate to improve visibility.
Engineering said DOT and the contractors working on the bridge project will assist with safety improvements because Valley Avenue will serve as a detour. Staff also discussed previous tests of a speed table on Kondusky/Condescate Avenue that were installed as a trial and later removed; their post-installation speed study showed no statistically significant change in speeds at that location, prompting caution about relying on single speed tables.
Residents and committee members described a section of Valley Avenue where children live and called for immediate measures. One resident said multiple families with young children live near the problematic corner and reported vehicles “coming around that corner… going 45 miles an hour.” Councilors and staff discussed the possibility of installing removable manufacured speed tables (bolted down and relocatable) as a test on Valley Avenue and increased enforcement while longer-term engineering changes proceed.
Engineering recommended improving intersection geometry at Bruce Road (removing ledge, relocating a utility pole) and working with DOT on corridor-level measures and enforcement to reduce speeds while the detour is in place. The committee asked staff to follow up with DOT and return with a detailed plan and potential locations for temporary speed-calming devices.
