Cummaquid Heights Community Roads Meeting -August 10, 2005

This meeting was held at the Cummaquid Golf Club. In attendance were: Bob Burgmann, Town Engineer; Tom Currier, DPW, Roads Division; Sgt. Andrew McKenna. Barnstable Police Traffic Division; Ann Canedy, Town Councilor for Precinct 1; and approximately 50 Cummaquid Heights residents. Fire Chief Robert Crosby was also invited but did not attend.

The issues discussed were speed, signage, snow removal, Mary Dunn Road, truck traffic and installation of calming devices.

SPEED:
· Bob Burgmann reported that actual traffic counts were down as compared with the same period last year. Traffic counts were taken over a 48 period in August 2004 and again in August 2005.
· The count on Mary Dunn Road was 7489 cars in 2004 and 7439 cars in August 2005; the count on Althea Road was 2151 in 2004 and 2067 in 200; the count on Oakmont was 2122 in 2004 and 1986 in 2005. -i.e. a 105 total reduction of cars, although arguably not statistically significant.
· The average speed limit on Marstons Lane was 23 miles per hour and the average speed on Oakmont was 35 mph.
· However, Sgt. McKenna noted that the Marstons, Oakmont and Althea corridor ranked in the Top 5 of areas in Barnstable where speeding is excessive.
· The police have stepped up surveillance and ticketing. Continued police presence is a matter of personnel availability but the police will patrol the area whenever possible
· A resident pointed out that the posted speed on Marstons Lane is 15 mph.
This is not a legal or defensible speed limit.
· The State Legislature has legally set the "reasonable speed" for a thickly settled area as 30 mph.
· The Town could petition Mass Highway for a change in the statutory speed limit if the Town could document what speed 85% of the traffic traversing the road used. Using that criterion, however, it could very well happen that the Mass Highway would recommend a greater speed for this area.
· Therefore, Town Engineering recommends that the legal "reasonable speed" or 30 mph be posted in the Heights.
· Residents noted that speed offenders are often kids going 60-70 miles per hour and doing wheelies on motorbikes.
· Sgt. McKenna agreed and suggested that these kids were from the neighborhood. If you know where they live, tell Sgt. McKenna and a police officer will visit the home and speak to the offender and/or his parents.

TRUCK TRAFFIC:
· According to the study undertaken by Engineering, trucks make up less than 1% of the total traffic using Althea, Oakmont and Marstons.
· Mass Highway has the power to regulate or prohibit truck traffic if it consists of 5-8% of the traffic on the designated road. There is a criteria that the Town must use in requesting that the Mass Highway designate a truck ban on specified roads.
· The Community asked that the Town petition the State for a prohibition on truck traffic. Anecdotally and regardless of the traffic counts, the Community feels that there is excessive truck traffic and that the road is deteriorating because of truck traffic.
· According to the residents, Shepleys' trucks have stopped going through. The offenders are Cash, O'Laughlin and Cape Cod Concrete, among others.
· Residents are asked to document offenders and report them to Mark Ells, DPW Director at Mark.Ells@town.barnstable.ma.us.
· Bob Burgmann agreed to write a letter to Mass Highway requesting a traffic ban using the State's criteria to the best of his ability.

MARY DUNN ROAD:
· Some residents expressed that Mary Dunn Road should be improved by resurfacing and straightening the curves.
· It was pointed out to the residents that Mary Dunn is a unique road in that it is, in parts, Town, State and privately owned and is a designated scenic road.
· All takings of private roads have ceased until the Town has developed a private road policy.
· Among private roads, Mary Dunn would be a priority in Precinct One when funds become available (through betterment program, targeted taxes or both).
· Residents along Mary Dunn Road are not in favor of improving the road by straightening or widening.

SNOW PLOW DAMAGE:
· One resident commented that this winter there appeared to be a convoy of snow plows through the neighborhood -the word "overkill" was used.
· Councilor Canedy and Bob Burgmann explained that this winter was an exception rather than the rule, that we had plows from other regions and had to use front end loaders to dig some people out of their residences.
· Bob Burgmann, however, agreed to speak with the snow removal staff.
· Others commented on the damage done to fences, yards and mailboxes.
· As a point of information, very often residents place their fences and mailboxes in the Town's right of way.
· If any damage was done, residents can call the Town Attorney's Office and lodge a complaint for damages

SIGNAGE:
· New speed limit signs (30 mph) have been posted along the Althea, Marstons, Oakmont corridor as a result of this meeting.
· The intersection of Althea/Oakmont/Iris and Dromoland is not a 4 way stop because it does not meet Mass Highway's criteria (Manual for Uniform Control Devices) for installation of 4 way stop signs The Town surveyor will map out a potential "squaring off " of the intersection.
· Cars fly over the hill and in the middle of the road on Althea near its intersection with Brentwood. This is a potential accident waiting to happen. Some residents requested that a center line be painted on Althea Road or at least at that section of Althea Road. (Some objection has come in since the meeting regarding painting a center line down the entire road but perhaps a center line just at that section at the approach to the hill would not be objectionable?)
· A resident suggested a stop sign on Marston at its intersection with Country Club. This is not a workable idea because Marstons is intended as a through street. Would a stop sign at the end of the Golf Club's driveway help?

CALMING DEVICES:
· Bob Burgmann discussed a number of "calming devices" available. Councilor Canedy distributed a hand out which describes these devices:
· Roundabout: Circles formed of curbs of varying diameter (generally 10 feet) within intersections of two wide residential streets. Could be implemented at intersection of Iris/Oakmont/Althea/Dromoland. An expensive alterative. There is no funding for this in the budget now.
· Narrowing the road way: Can be done by Chicanes (landscaping and narrowing one side then the other to break up the illusion of a straightaway); Chokers (narrowing the road way at intersections or in the road way to force motorists to slow down to avoid the devices - the choker on Marstons Lane was recently taken out at the residents' request)
· Speed bumps: Abrupt raised surface. Advantage is that it will slow traffic; disadvantage is that it may cause damage to emergency vehicles and increase noise.

SPEED HUMPS:
· Speed humps are NOT the same thing as speed bumps. Bumps are generally less gradual in slope and are 6" in height. Humps are more gradual in slope and 4' in height.
· Best example of how the humps are installed is on Buckwood at Pitchers Way off Route 28. There are 5 over the length of that road. The residents on Buckwood are happy with these speed bumps.
· Nottingham Road off Old Stage in Centerville is another example (however humps there need to be painted) A pair (or pairs) of speed humps will be installed.
· Tom Currier stated that there is such a thing as "temporary" speed humps that could be installed o a trial basis. There are some currently in use on Martha's Vineyard.
· A clear majority of the residents at this meeting voted to explore the installation of temporary speed humps.
· Town Engineer has explored whether there is enough funds to put in temporary speed humps on all three targeted roads -Oakmont, Althea and Marstons. Each temporary hump costs $8000 and a decision has been made to only put in one. The balance of the budgeted funds will be needed to install permanent humps along the corridor. Although not ideal, this should at least demonstrate to the residents what a series of humps would be like. Engineering will make the decision as to where the temporary hump will be installed based on their expertise and an analysis of traffic counts.
· Traffic counts will be undertaken before and after installation of temporary humps and an evaluation will be made concerning reduction of speed and volume before permanent devices are installed.
· An evaluation of alternative routes will be undertaken also; i.e. did the traffic calming device make travel more difficult and push traffic onto an alternate route, thus creating an unintentional problem for that alternate route?
· A consensus will be taken of the community's opinion. Letters will be sent to residents along the Althea, Oakmont and Marstons corridor as well as to residents on feeder streets.
· Additional meetings of residents will be held as needed or requested.
· The Community Association will also be notified.
· Prior to installation of permanent devices, police and fire will be asked for input.(Barnstable Fire has been formally asked for input)
· Sgt. McKenna represented that, in his opinion, speed humps would not pose a problem for the Police.
· Speed humps should not pose a problem for snow plows
· Residents asked who would be responsible for any liability should there be an accident or lawsuit caused by installation of calming devices - Town or residents. Answer: Town -but it is defensible.
· Caution: once the permanent traffic speed humps are installed, they are in for good. If the community decides they do not like them, they will be removed at the Community's expense.

TIME LINE:
· Temporary humps can be installed in October and be tested throughout the winter.
· In the Spring, traffic counts and effectiveness of humps will be reevaluated.

FOR QUESTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INPUT, PLEASE CALL:
Ann Canedy, Town Councilor: 508-362-4561, email: acanedy@comcast.net
Bob Burgmann, Town Engineer: email: Bob.Burgmann@town.barnstable.ma.us
Tom Currier, DPW: Thomas.Currier@town.barnstable.ma.us
Sgt. McKenna, Barnstable Police Dept: email: Mckennaa@barnstablepolice.com