By Andreas Yilma Citizen’s News
BEACON FALLS — Town officials plan to slow speeders with the installation of speed humps and additional stop signs.
The Board of Selectmen, also the town’s traffic authority, at the beginning of the month approved putting two speed humps on Burton Road with painted signs warning drivers to slow down, as well as adding stop signs at the intersection of Rimmon Hill Road and Randall Drive heading south to Seymour, at Jane Street heading north on Rimmon Hill Road and at Lantern Ridge Road in both directions.
The speed humps will cost about $5,000. Town officials haven’t chosen a company yet to install them but want them in place within 60 days under the oversight of town engineer Paul DeStefano. The public works department will install the stop signs and paint the road, First Selectman Gerard Smith said.
DeStefano advised Smith in a letter the speed humps on Burton Road should be placed 800 to 1,000 feet apart.
“Several studies have shown that speed humps reduce vehicle speed,” DeStefano noted in the letter.
Town officials will revisit the speed humps in the spring to see how they affect drainage and plowing. They are prepared to rip the speed humps out if they don’t work or damage the area, Smith said.
Resident Ray Binkoski said he opposes the speed humps because a motorcyclist or bicyclist could hit the bump, go off the road and strike a tree if they are unaware or face poor visibility, and that could lead to a lawsuit.
Smith replied that he received a legal and engineering report on the use of speed humps, and there’s no liability to the town.
He noted there are very few things town officials can do to slow traffic down.
“We have more requests for speed humps in town than anything else,” Smith said.
