- “It’s a school zone and kids can’t even safely walk from the school to the library for their free after school programming because the traffic is so unsafe. They bus them there,” Warren Select Board chair Devin Klein Corrigan
LINK: Town of Warren – Public Statement on Warren Village Speed Humps
Two new speed bumps were installed in Warren village this week and the calls started coming in almost immediately.
As part of a 2022 traffic calming grant that Warren received for the village, two speed bumps (or speed humps and speed plateaus) were installed on Brook Road this week. One is below the intersection with School Road and the other is just above Dump Road. Both are in the designated 25mph zone.
The traffic calming measures have been in the works for a while with the select board finalizing design this summer, and installation this fall. Select Board chair Devin Klein Corrigan said the board had envisioned speed bumps akin to those along Route 2 in Jonesville and Richmond. They found out that those speed bumps do not adhere to federal regulations which led to those in Warren.
On the day the bumps were installed, she said, a couple of things happened.
“We decided, okay, these are a little aggressive, although the contractor, Pike Industries, tested them. They stopped some Teslas, which are some of the lowest cars we see driving through the village, and had them test the speed humps to make sure that they weren't bottoming out. They were not. Nonetheless, we asked them to shave them down about an inch, so they've ended up around four inches. They may be four and a quarter in some places,” she explained.
“This initiative is another facet of our attempt to calm traffic through the village, people are angry because they're hitting these speed bumps going too fast. But what they really need to do is slow down in our village areas,” she added.
Klein Corrigan said that there are two signs before each set of bumps, one saying speed hump ahead with a picture of bicyclist crashing and the other right at the bump stating ‘speed bump’.
The recommended speed for hitting the bumps is not the 25mph speed limit on that road. It is lower than that, Klein Corrigan said, adding that she did not know and was reaching out to the contractor for advice and clarification. She said the town may chance the signage to indicate the best speed for crossing the bumps.
Asked about law-abiding citizens driving at 25mph on Brook Road who hit one of the speed bumps at the legally posted speed and incur car damage, Klein Corrigan said she is double checking on any legal issues, specifically whether the town needs to further instruct folks to go slower than the speed limit.
“I want to say, to the public please use some common sense and have some consideration for your neighbors. If people weren't speeding through Warren village, we wouldn't have had to install the speed bumps. People are so ready and willing to complain that these speed bumps are offensive to them, but I would ask them to imagine they're living on Main Street or on Brook Road in Warren village, and people come down that hill going 40 plus miles an hour. If they had a new puppy or a toddler learning how to walk, who accidentally runs out into the street, there is not enough time for someone to react and save that being’s life,” she said.
“It’s a school zone and kids can’t even safely walk from the school to the library for their free after school programming because the traffic is so unsafe. They bus them there,” she continued.
“Can we please be considerate neighbors?” she concluded.
Town of Warren – Public Statement on Warren Village Speed Humps
After several years of public discussion and several studies, the Select Board recently approved additional traffic calming measures in the form of speed humps. These were installed this week in Warren Village.
These traffic-calming measures were installed in response to long-standing concerns about excessive vehicle speeds and pedestrian safety in the heart of our Village. The design, placement, and signage of the speed humps comply with state statutes and conform to MUTCD guidelines. Further markings in the road will be installed next Tuesday as Pike completes their scope of work. The Selectboard is continuing to evaluate community feedback and will consider possible adjustments, including additional signage or other refinements.
We ask everyone to remember that these measures were introduced with one goal in mind: to protect the safety and quality of life of all who live, work, and travel through Warren Village. Please be mindful, slow down, and show respect for your neighbors and our shared public spaces.
We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation as we work to ensure that Warren Village remains a safe, welcoming, and vibrant place for everyone — drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.
Devin T. Klein Corrigan
Selectboard Chair | Warren, Vermont
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