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Residents press Hopkinton council to seek state action on Route 3 and Route 138 safety
Summary
Residents urged the Hopkinton Town Council to pursue state traffic-safety remedies on Route 3 and Route 138, requesting crosswalks, signage and a formal petition to the state traffic commission after a recent crash and growing pedestrian activity.
Several Hopkinton residents used the public-comment period at the June 15 meeting to press the council for stronger traffic-safety measures on state roads through town.
John Ena Stanley of Hope Valley asked which councilor would work with him to submit a formal safety request to the state traffic commission for portions of Route 3 and Route 138; he said he is preparing a full proposal and public-record requests and asked for council assistance in submitting a letter.
Martha Bautel Vita, a Main Street resident, asked the council to seek additional crosswalks and state signage near the post office and St. Joseph's Church, described frequent pedestrian activity and cited a recent serious crash on Spring Street. She urged town police enforcement and measures that slow traffic, noting examples from neighboring communities.
Joe Maro also raised safety concerns and linked them to potential new development in Clocks Falls (a planning-board proposal for roughly 82 two-bedroom homes), saying increased traffic on state roads would heighten safety risks.
Councilors and staff responded that a formal request to the state would trigger a traffic study and that the council's support (a letter to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation or the state traffic commission) is the appropriate first step. Councilors referenced prior successful requests that led to a stoplight approval and said some interventions (signage, road striping, portable speed-display trailers) can be pursued more quickly than a traffic signal installation.
Next steps: residents stated they will bring prepared proposals for council review and the council indicated it would forward a letter to the state and coordinate any needed studies.
Ending: The council did not take a formal vote on any traffic item during the June 15 meeting; residents were asked to supply written requests for formal consideration and submission to the state.
