Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richmond Select Board hears broad public push for quicker, low‑cost safety fixes on Bridge Street
Summary
At a June 24 special meeting, Richmond residents, staff and select board members reviewed a 2021 Complete Streets study and a recent sidewalk audit and prioritized near‑term fixes—improved crosswalk paint, better lighting, targeted enforcement and modest physical calming—while debate continued over a costly east‑side sidewalk proposal.
The Richmond Select Board convened June 24 to gather public comment and options for improving pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety on Bridge Street, focusing on the corridor from Route 2 south to the Bridge Street bridge.
Staff introduced the town’s Bridge Street Complete Streets Corridor study and a Richmond Transportation Committee sidewalk audit. Josh summarized state crash data cited in those reports, noting that 2012–2016 state records showed three injury crashes and nine property‑damage crashes in one Bridge Street segment and that 2015–2019 data recorded 18 crashes along the corridor, including two pedestrian crashes (one injury, one fatality). He said the state’s thresholds qualify the corridor as a “high crash area.”
Residents and committee members then offered a wide list of issues and potential fixes. Linda Langer, a long‑time Richmond resident, provided copies of Department of Transportation crash reports and emphasized the need to put those data on the town website for public review. Multiple speakers described recurring hazards near the market and Cumberland Farms: parked large vehicles that block sight lines, inconsistent crosswalk paint, insufficient lighting in parking areas and vehicles (including bicycles) carrying excessive speed down the hill into the village.
Speakers proposed a mix of near‑term, low‑cost actions and longer‑term structural changes. Short‑term items included more frequent and reflective crosswalk repainting, clearly marked stop bars, taller or relocated flashing crosswalk beacons, compact‑car parking designations in tight spots and volunteer crossing guards or targeted enforcement during school drop‑off hours. Several residents and transportation committee members recommended ‘‘quick‑win’’ aesthetic solutions (planters, decorative welcome signs or painted textured crossings) to signal a pedestrian‑oriented village and slow traffic without creating a perpetual construction look.
Several participants stressed that paint alone rarely slows drivers and that built infrastructure—bump‑outs, raised crosswalks (speed tables), rumble strips or narrowed lanes—has the greatest effect on vehicle speed. Transportation committee members recommended prioritizing physical changes where feasible; others noted cost and a multi‑year scoping‑to‑construction timeline for major sidewalk projects.
The board heard proposals to change the signal timing at the Route 2/Bridge Street intersection, including moving the left‑turn arrow to the start of the green cycle and lengthening its duration to improve clearing and pedestrian head starts. Speakers also raised delivery schedules for Cumberland Farms and restaurants, suggesting voluntary or negotiated delivery windows to reduce midday conflict, though some cautioned that singling out one business could raise legal or equity concerns.
Board members and the chief of police discussed enforcement limits in a 40‑square‑mile town. Chief Cambridge said enforcement capacity is constrained by geography and staffing. The board noted recent state legislative activity (Senate bill 184 was mentioned on the record) that may permit expanded automated enforcement; members asked staff to follow up on statutory changes and whether the town could run a pilot or coordinate regionally.
The select board did not adopt a final policy at the meeting. Members asked staff to compile the issues and suggested remedies into a prioritized list for public posting (Front Porch Forum and the town website) and a future meeting. Several board members proposed using existing budget lines and leftover FY24 funds to begin smaller projects; staff said about $10,000 had been identified previously for initial pedestrian and traffic calming work.
The meeting closed with an agreement to publish the compiled list, pursue immediate low‑cost improvements where possible, and continue community outreach before committing to larger investments such as the contested east‑side sidewalk.
The Select Board’s next step is to circulate the compiled issues-and-solutions list for wider town comment and place follow‑up items on a future agenda.
