To the editor:
Traffic seems to be on all of our minds lately, after a difficult winter and a busy spring. We note renewed interest among some for review of traffic control signs and measures currently in place at the Five Corners intersection. This is a complex intersection, and what may feel like “obvious” design changes to the non-traffic engineer could in fact be very difficult to execute. Several generations of Town Traffic Committees have taken up the challenge.
The current configuration is the result not of bureaucratic inertia, but instead of careful study and consideration of traffic control regulations and best practices. The geometry, signage and striping of the intersection has been fine-tuned periodically. Further refinements to enhance driver and pedestrian safety may be available and appropriate, and we will take a hard look. Understand, however, that we go into this analysis informed by the work of those who preceded us, and that the issues, challenges, and constraints are often times more complex than might appear.
We’ve learned that managing the safe and efficient flow of traffic at Five Corners or elsewhere in town is tricky business. For example, by state law, speed limits can be adjusted only after a speed study, and must be set, with few exceptions (e.g., school zones), at the 85th percentile of the speed of cars currently using the road. (Read this last sentence carefully: what it means is that by state law, speed limits may actually increase!) And when considering whether to install stop signs, crosswalks, or striping, the town must consult the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the accepted industry standard (you can find the Massachusetts version easily via Google). Local knowledge is an important practical consideration, but regulations sometimes limit our options.
All of that said, one immediate tool at our disposal is enforcement of existing regulations and signage. To that end, we have already asked our police to redouble their efforts in enforcement and visibility at the five-way stop. As always, our Roadway and Traffic Committee meetings are open to the public and we welcome your participation. We also hold an open forum at every selectman’s meeting. Please come join us and let us know what is on your mind. It is through an engaged dialogue and not only letters to the editor that we can all work together to tackle these challenges.
Sincerely,
Ken Bassett (chair, Roadway and Traffic Committee)
Noah Eckhouse (chair, Board of Selectmen)
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.