Barrington officials moved one step closer to installing speed cameras on local roads in an effort to slow speeding cars and improve pedestrian safety.
At their meeting on Monday night, …
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Barrington officials moved one step closer to installing speed cameras on local roads in an effort to slow speeding cars and improve pedestrian safety.
At their meeting on Monday night, members of the Barrington Town Council voted 5-0 in favor of requesting an analysis of speed cameras and what their impact could be on everything from projected revenue for Barrington to the anticipated safety benefits.
In a separate action, councilors also voted against installing three new stop signs in the Fireside Drive and Old Chimney Road neighborhood.
Speed cameras
Council member Kate Berard said she has witnessed the dangerous situation created by speeding cars on Sowams Road firsthand.
The council member said she walks her children to school and sees cars speeding down Sowams Road — she said the crossing guard at Sowams School has experienced numerous close calls, as have other parents while walking their kids to school.
On Monday night, Berard explained how her own experience driving to work led her to consider speed cameras for Barrington roadways.
Berard said she drives along roads through Pawtucket that are posted with speed cameras and she is always careful to drive within the speed limit.
Berard said her interest in speed cameras is not an exercise in finding more revenue for the town.
“To me, it’s really about slowing down the cars,” she said.
Berard also asked Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey when he was meeting with officials from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation to discuss the issue. Hervey said his meeting was scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16.
Councilor Jordan Jancosek said she was excited to move this issue forward. She also asked Berard, who has been working with the Barrington Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, if they had explored speed tables — sections of elevated roadways that help to slow traffic.
Berard said she is familiar with speed tables and that BPAC is considering a number of options in their long-term planning. She said some of those changes could be more difficult to implement since the roads being considered for the work are state roads.
Berard added that she is open to whatever works best — she said it is her own experience that speed cameras work really well to slow traffic and make roads safer.
Council president Braxton Cloutier said he lives in the Sowams area and has also noticed speeding cars on Sowams Road.
He then made a motion to request an analysis of speed cameras by the town to include personnel requirements, impact on the town’s municipal court, projected revenue and costs, anticipated safety benefits, and prioritization of school zones based on speeding/ticket data, and to have the results of the analysis ready for the February town council meeting.
Hervey asked for a little bit more time to complete the work, and Cloutier amended the motion to have a March completion date. Berard seconded the motion.
Before voting on the issue, Cloutier opened up the discussion for public comment. The response was a mixed bag — some residents supported the idea of speed cameras, while other, such as Janine Wolf, opposed it.
Wolf said the town could implement other traffic-slowing measures before considering speed cameras, which she called “horrifying” and “insane.” Wolf said speed cameras were a “city solution” to a small town problem.
“I think it’s the wrong road to go down,” she added.
Berard said it is not just cities that use speed cameras — she said other towns, such as Middletown, use them as well.
The crossing guard from Sowams School said speed cameras were a good idea. She said people driving on Sowams Road do not pay attention to signs, but they will respond to speed cameras. She said she has seen a lot of speeding cars on Sowams Road early in the morning.
Anthony Bucci lives in Hampden Meadows. He said he agreed with Wolf — he said speed cameras smack of “Big Brother." Bucci said the town should use speed tables instead of speed cameras.
Joe Palazzolo, a Lamson Road resident, spoke about cars and trucks speeding down his street. He said he has seen an increase in speeding vehicles, including fuel trucks, since 2020.
“It’s an accident waiting to happen on Lamson Road,” Palazzolo said. He asked for the council to consider speed bumps or some other device to slow traffic.
Pat Majewski, who moved to town a few years ago, said he had some experience with the issue when he lived in Connecticut. He said signs outfitted with flashing lights can slow traffic. He said he was not a big fan of the company that runs the speed cameras program in East Providence.
Following the public comment period, members of the council had a second chance to discuss the issue. Berard shared a few other trouble spots in Hampden Meadows with Hervey for his meeting with the state DOT — she mentioned the intersection of Massasoit Avenue and Martin Avenue.
Councilor Kerry O’Neill asked if the police department was conducting an additional study of speeding cars.
Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia said he has officers address the speeding issue when the manpower is available. He added that it is hard to argue with the success of the speed cameras — they have an effect. Chief Correia said his concern was dedicating the manpower to process the tickets generated by the speed cameras. That work needs to be completed by Barrington Police, he said, or the tickets are null and void after a certain period of time if not processed.
Councilor Liana Cassar asked the chief if the traffic interventions on Nayatt Road and Maple Avenue are helping to slow traffic. He said they are helping, he believes, but the evidence is anecdotal.
“I don’t think anything is going to be as effective as speed cameras,” he said.
Chief Correia said he does not have the manpower to post police officers around all of the public schools every day in an effort to slow speeding cars.
Cloutier later returned to his motion — the council then voted 5-0 to request the analysis of speed cameras.