David power points traffic calming plan
September 19 ,2008
'Hamp looks at traffic calming
The Republican
By FRED CONTRADA
fcontrada@repub.com
The Republican
By FRED CONTRADA
fcontrada@repub.com
NORTHAMPTON - The City Council on Thursday took up
a document that serves as a road map to combat
speeding, reduce accidents and make the streets
safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The Traffic Calming Manual compiled by the Transportation and Parking Commission outlines a number of traffic-related issues and offers suggestions on how to deal with them.
In a PowerPoint presentation, commission Chairman David J. Narkewicz, who is also the Ward 4 City Councilor, said the city can reduce accidents and "reclaim the streets for walking and biking" by adopting the proposed measures.
As Narkewicz explained it, traffic calming aims to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use by encouraging drivers to slow down and pay more attention to their surroundings.
The three major methods for achieving this, Narkewicz said, are narrowing street widths, creating curves and other deflection measures and introducing speed bumps and raised crosswalks.
Residents from many neighborhoods have lobbied for traffic calming measures. During the public comment session on Thursday, Barbara Rakaska, a Ward 6 resident, pleaded for a way to slow traffic at the intersection of Florence and Ryan roads.
James D. Lowenthal, a Transportation and Parking Commission member, told the council that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for Americans under the age of 35.
"It really pays to slow traffic down," he said.
The manual outlines a system for submitting traffic calming requests along with a scorecard that awards points for meeting certain criteria that will help the city prioritize projects.
The Traffic Calming Manual compiled by the Transportation and Parking Commission outlines a number of traffic-related issues and offers suggestions on how to deal with them.
In a PowerPoint presentation, commission Chairman David J. Narkewicz, who is also the Ward 4 City Councilor, said the city can reduce accidents and "reclaim the streets for walking and biking" by adopting the proposed measures.
As Narkewicz explained it, traffic calming aims to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use by encouraging drivers to slow down and pay more attention to their surroundings.
The three major methods for achieving this, Narkewicz said, are narrowing street widths, creating curves and other deflection measures and introducing speed bumps and raised crosswalks.
Residents from many neighborhoods have lobbied for traffic calming measures. During the public comment session on Thursday, Barbara Rakaska, a Ward 6 resident, pleaded for a way to slow traffic at the intersection of Florence and Ryan roads.
James D. Lowenthal, a Transportation and Parking Commission member, told the council that motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for Americans under the age of 35.
"It really pays to slow traffic down," he said.
The manual outlines a system for submitting traffic calming requests along with a scorecard that awards points for meeting certain criteria that will help the city prioritize projects.