Posts
1 - Traffic Calming - According to the engineer from Fay, Spofford & Thorndike hired by the town to assess traffic conditions on Pond Street, narrowing the traffic lanes is one of the most effective means of calming traffic.2 - More (apparent) Parking - While parking is permitted on Pond Street (all four wheels in the road), it is not apparent to visitors who often park on the sidewalk or grassy strips (see post People Don't Know Where to Park). A parking lane would make it clear where people should park.
3 - Safer for Walkers on Sidewalk - With a row of cars (or an empty parking lane) as a buffer between traffic and pedestrians, walkers will be safer.
4 - Less Driver Confusion - When a car is parked on Pond Street, traffic cannot figure out if it should stop or cross the center line to go around the parked car. With oncoming traffic sometimes moving over to let cars pass and sometimes not, people don't know what to do. Some stop leading to rage and horns from those behind them. Some try to squeeze by leading to rage and horns from oncoming traffic.
5 - Less Road Rage - I allude to this in #4. It is clear that people are losing their cool as some will hold their horn down the entire time they are driving by a parked car -- even when no one is coming the other way. This is troublesome for those with babies sleeping and cannot be good for people with such rage and lack of control over their emotions to be on the road...
I hereby call on the board of selectmen to adopt the recommendations of the engineer and approve the parking lane. You can see from the photo that there is plenty of room. I am happy to get signatures if it would help.
