New Department of Public Works equipment to study traffic speeds

MARION — The Department of Public Works recently received a grant for equipment that can determine drivers’ average speed on a road. 

Director Jody Dickerson told the Select Board about the new equipment at a Tuesday, Sept. 15 meeting.

The department recently purchased a radar that records the speed of each car that passes by, along with the time the speed was captured.  Dickerson said this radar can help the department understand what parts of town are most affected by speeding and determine where to place traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps.

He explained the equipment uses only radar to gather information, and does not have any cameras involved. While it tracks the speed and time a driver passes by, it does not collect any visual information such as a license plate number. 

Department personnel are currently receiving training from MassDOT, and Dickerson said staff can then use it to study traffic speeds in town. 

Select Board Chair John Hoagland said the board has received several letters from people concerned about speeding. He pointed to Front and Main Streets, and Point and Congress Roads as concerning areas where people tend to speed.  The town installed several speed bumps for the summer season on Front Street, and plans to install additional ones next summer if needed. 

“We need a recommendation of what type of speed bump, and where you’d like to have them, and the date that we’re going to put them up and take them back,” Hoagland said to Dickerson.

Dickerson said the data collected by the new radar can help the department determine where these speed bumps should go.