Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Speed Countermeasures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
VTrans speed countermeasures toolbox presented to Chittenden County TAC
Summary
CCRPC staff and a UVM researcher presented a VTrans Speed Countermeasures Toolbox to help municipalities choose context-appropriate measures to improve compliance with posted speeds; members discussed 85th-percentile approaches, funding implications and federal guidance on treatments such as centerline removal.
CCRPC staff introduced a VTrans Speed Countermeasures Toolbox at the May 7 Transportation Advisory Committee meeting and invited Jim Sullivan of the UVM Transportation Research Center to present the project. The Toolbox provides profile sheets for 15 countermeasures, four field tests and four case studies to help communities select measures suited to local conditions.
Project presenters emphasized that the Toolbox is intended to improve compliance with current posted speeds and is not designed to lower posted speed limits or serve as an enforcement tool. Committee members discussed trade-offs: some supported experimenting with lower posted speeds, while others noted mixed test results and cautioned that diverging from conventional speed-setting practices could affect funding eligibility. The minutes also note federal guidance limiting certain countermeasures such as removing roadway centerlines.
Why it matters: communities seeking to improve safety need practical, evidence-based options that consider funding, federal guidance and local context. The Toolbox aims to give municipalities concise information on design, estimated effectiveness and real-world examples to inform local decision-making.
Presenters pointed TAC members to the VTrans project page and the toolbox materials, which include links to research and resources. The committee’s discussion highlighted the need to balance safety goals with funding rules and state or federal guidance.
