Monterey will install two sets of speed bumps on Crain Street in an effort to reduce speeding and improve safety.
The move comes after the town’s Street Committee elected to look into installing a flashing sign on Crain Street. Street Committee Chairman Larry Bennett said the estimated cost to install a flashing sign would have been $10,000. Bennett said the price is too much. He said he thought speed bumps would be the most cost-effective option.
“That’s what the original idea was anyways, I think,” Bennett said. “So we are gonna just try it. So we have decided to buy a couple of sets of speed bumps and put them, or situated on that street somewhere, where it will be practical for it to be used to slow down traffic.”
One of the concerns several aldermen had with speed bumps is that it would set a precedent to install speed bumps on other roads. Bennett said he does not see it becoming an issue.
“If we need a speed bump on a dangerous street like Crain is, then I say let’s just do it,” Bennett said. “But, you know, I think it should be really, really necessary to do that because these things can be annoying, especially in the wintertime. You will probably have to take them up in the wintertime cause of the icescrapers, it will ruin them if they hit them.”
Bennett said the speed bumps are one inch high and about seven or eight inches wide and will cost the town an estimated $600. Bennett said since the road is about 14 feet wide, each set will essentially take up the whole road. Bennett said the plan is to install a set on each side of the hill.
“They will go down, I don’t know, 100 feet, 200 feet, and maybe put the speed bumps there on each side like that, about that length,” Bennett said. “But I guess that will be up to them (Monterey), where they think it will be necessary to actually put the speed bumps to get them to slow down, especially on the hill. That is the main concern right now.”
Bennett said he is hopeful that the speed bumps will reduce speeding. Bennett said the town’s police department will be monitoring the street for speeding. Bennett said speeding tickets will also help get the message across.
