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Mothers Out Front presents Route 62/Trail safety audit; TAC agrees to share findings with town departments
Summary
Mothers Out Front presented an October bike and pedestrian safety audit focused on Route 62 and the Reformatory Branch Trail crossings, reporting speed-study results and recommending signage, lower limits and temporary trial measures; the TAC agreed to distribute the audit to police, public works and other town officials for follow-up.
Mothers Out Front presented findings from an October bike and pedestrian safety audit that focused on the Concord Center–Bedford Depot corridor and crossings where the Reformatory Branch Trail meets Route 62. The presentation highlighted observed near-misses, crash data review and two short speed studies at key crosswalks.
Glenda Nieman, co‑coordinator with Mothers Out Front, summarized the group's methods and findings, noting that 2024 bike-share rentals were at a record high and that near-miss incidents are likely undercounted in official crash records. Nieman cited a 2014 Healthy Concord survey in which "91 percent of folks that had been in an accident said they did not report it," and urged proactive measures rather than waiting for collisions.
The audit included two short speed studies at crosswalk locations. Nieman reported that at one location "50 percent of folks are exceeding" a posted 30 mph speed and that when a 25 mph limit was considered the presentation showed approximately "91 percent" exceeding it; auditors also recorded a vehicle at 46 mph through a crosswalk. Presenters stressed that these conditions raise collision risk for pedestrians and cyclists, including low‑visibility users such as recumbent riders and people using cargo bikes or wheelchairs.
Recommendations from Mothers Out Front included consistent speed signage, consideration of lowering speed limits, installation of flashing or radar speed signs, temporary trials using flex posts or reflective stakes, pedestrian‑activated flashing crosswalks, and targeted sidewalk and trail repairs to address uneven surfaces and drainage. Nieman suggested dedicating a portion of an annual budget to safety work so improvements are not addressed only on an ad hoc basis.
Committee members praised the audit and agreed to distribute the report to relevant town agencies. Phil (last name not specified in transcript) recommended TAC forward the audit to the police department, public works, the select board and the town manager so agencies could take direct follow-up actions. The chair thanked Mothers Out Front and emphasized the need to centralize safety reporting and to pursue additional speed studies and improvements.
What happens next: TAC asked staff to post and circulate the audit and to revisit safety work and related procurement (including use of Stantec or other consultants) in a future meeting.
