June 7, 2023 By Carol Britton Meyer
The Select Board agreed Tuesday night to establish a 25 mph speed limit in certain areas of the Downtown Hingham Business District to enhance safety, upon the recommendation of the Traffic Committee.
This is in accordance with a 2022 Town Meeting-approved warrant article related to this issue following concerns expressed about downtown traffic safety by residents and businesses for some time.
Town Engineer J.R. Frey explained that the area that will be affected by the 25 mph speed limit is bounded by Water Street where it connects to North Street and includes North Street from the Otis and Summer Street intersection to the crosswalk at 198/200 North St.
This speed limit also applies to South Street from the intersection with North Street to South Lane and to Main Street to the property line between 90 and 100 Main St.
The affected area also includes Central Street to the property line at 33 Central St. and north on Fearing Road toward Cottage Street, and Lincoln Street from North Street to just over the crest of the hill.
The Hingham Police Department will provide an education campaign to ensure residents and others driving through the area are aware of this change, and 25 mph signs will be posted at a number of locations over the next few months. The police will enforce the new speed limit through a ticketing process after these initial steps have been taken.
“We’re taking baby steps,” Frey said. “We will see how this is received and how it works in practice.”
Frey will notify the Massachusetts Department of Transportation about the change, which will be noted in their records.
‘Great first step’
Police Chief David Jones called this “a great first step in making the downtown area and the Square much safer.”
There has been no negative feedback about the changes, Frey said. “This will enhance pedestrian and vehicular traffic safety in this congested area and allow customers to access parallel parking spaces [more easily] and for people to cross the street more safely.”
While supportive of this step, Select Board member Bill Ramsey said more needs to be done.
“I’ve seen distracted drivers on North Street staring down at their cell phones and vehicles coming around the corner at 35 to 40 mph. It’s an unbelievably dangerous situation,” he said. “Numerous pedestrians, including a child in front of the post office, and numerous cars have been hit.”
To help address the situation more comprehensively, Ramsey asked Frey to come up with recommendations within the next 60 days of other traffic-calming measures that might be taken in the downtown area, including signs with flashing lights informing motorists of how fast they are going and what the speed limit actually is and possibly a traffic island.
Ramsey also said he would like the Traffic Committee to take a look at other thickly-settled areas in town such as the Bradley Woods, Bradley Park, Liberty Pole, and the Crow Point neighborhoods.
Select Board member Joseph Fisher noted that the town is allowed to double speeding ticket fines in these downtown areas. “We want drivers to be aware of this,” he said.
Fisher also asked Frey to let the Select Board know when the subject of proposed speed limit changes is on the Traffic Committee agenda to help get the word out to residents who might like to attend.
Cottage Street resident Phil Edmundson spoke in favor of the speed limit change and suggested that a four-way stop — proposed by neighbors some time ago — be considered for the Main/Fearing/North Street intersection.
“There’s confusion there, especially on Saturdays,” he said. “Drivers are often courteous until a car comes barreling through, driven by someone who is either inconsiderate or unaware [of how tricky that intersection can be]. A four-way stop may not be the right answer, but I am encouraged by this conversation.”
‘This is a wonderful idea’
North Street residents Nancy and Frank Mellen, whose house was hit by a car two years ago, expressed support for the 25 mph speed limit. “I’m amazed at the speed at which people buzz through the Square,” he said. “This action can only make the downtown area safer. This is a wonderful, wonderful idea.”
The change comes at a good time, Nancy said, “especially when the Benjamin Lincoln House [across from the Lincoln statue] opens to the public, leading to an increase in pedestrians in the area.
“This has been a long time coming, and we will continue working on this issue in other parts of town and also [think about] what else we can do to make the downtown area safer,” Select Board Chair Liz Klein said.