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Residents press for permanent calming after crashes on High Bank and Old Bass River curves
Summary
Neighbors described repeated near-misses and two crashes near the Old Bass River S-curve and asked the town to pursue permanent calming—speed feedback signs, speed tables, lane narrowing and targeted enforcement. DPW said legal and budget constraints require data-driven steps and will perform speed studies and sight-line work.
David Payne (speaker 6) presented a petition—about 80 signatures—from High Bank residents who say speeding and heavy trucks create dangerous conditions on what is technically a collector road. “It’s really dangerous,” Payne said, describing houses where drivers regularly exceed posted limits and a hill that encourages drivers to accelerate.
Residents and staff reviewed a range of possible measures. Staff emphasized limits for collector roads and the need for evidence: radar or covert speed readers, speed-feedback signs, targeted enforcement and, where appropriate, speed tables. “We can certainly put something out there to try to take readings of the speeds and see what’s there,” the staff member said, noting equipment and funding constraints. He added that stop signs and guardrails require specific warrants and that guardrails can have adverse trade-offs in tight curves.
At the Old Bass River S-curve several residents detailed past crash histories and property damage; staff noted chevrons, blind-drive signs and trimming sight lines as immediate mitigations and agreed to add the location to a speed-study list and to explore grants for permanent feedback signage.
The committee asked police to prioritize enforcement where staffing allows and for DPW to trim vegetation and test covert readers. Residents offered to assist with neighborhood efforts and to donate toward costs for devices if needed.
