Traffic Speed in CabotCan We Do More to Ensure A Safe and Convivial Main

Street?

Cabot Background• Cabot is quintessential compact

New England village• Until the 1950’s our Main Street

was unpaved• A state “connector” highway serves

as Cabot’s Main Street today

A Mixed Blessing

• The highway facilitates the uninterrupted flow of vehicle traffic in and out of town

• Its purpose and design conflict with the residential and recreational life of town

Snapshot - Northbound(at Main Street Bridge N)

• Northbound: Peak recorded traffic hour is 5:00-6:00pm (>90)

• 40 percent (2 in 5 vehicles) traveled in excess of 30MPH

• Highest volume of speeding traffic occurred 4:00-5:00pm (49:46 >30)

• Highest recorded speeds were 50-55MPH (>3)

Snapshot - Southbound(at Main Street Bridge N)

• Southbound: Peak recorded traffic hours is 2:00-3:00pm (>90)

• 30 percent (1 in 3) vehicles traveled in excess of 30MPH

• Highest volume of speeding traffic occurred 8:00-9:00am (35:45 >30)

• Highest recorded speed was in excess of 75MPH (>3)

Proposal - Short-term

• Place 25MPH speed limit signs in town.Propose: Northbound 215 at Cabot Creamery and Southbound at bridge and both North and Southbound at Post Office/Common

• Warn drivers of a “School Zone.”Propose: 100 feet north of the Gymnasium Street entry and 100 feet south of Cabot Church

• Establish a clearly marked “School Zone.”Use vertical signage to raise driver awareness of town School Zone.

Proposal - Long-term• Study other Vermont towns

Have a look at how other similarly sized and planned towns in Vermont have managed traffic.

• Raise the Issue before the PublicLet the public know about traffic concerns in town and encourage appropriate involvement.

• Resource and carry out a traffic studyWork with the Washington County Regional Planning Commission, Vermont Local Roads Program, etc to study opportunity, options.

• Cultivate a Main Street Tree CanopyPlant trees along Main Street to provide shade, contrast, and beauty that encourage better driver behavior.

Thank you.Lars Hasselblad Torres, Cathleen Mainelhtorres@gmail.com,

cathleenmaine@gmail.com