Speed limit could be lowered in Marion village area
Jul 12, 2022
Select board members met at the newly constructed pavilion at Cushing Center. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles
MARION — Lowering the speed limit from 30 to 25 miles per hour and adding a speed bump on Front Street are among the recommendations a town committee has made to slow traffic and make the village area safer for pedestrians.
Those suggestions were presented to the Select Board at the July 12 meeting based on a lengthy report issued by Greenwood Pedersen Inc., an engineering firm, on behalf of the pedestrian safety working group.
That group was formed about a year ago to address concerns presented by then select board member John Waterman about pedestrian safety in Marion’s village area.
The area can be busy, with numerous small businesses lining the narrow streets and students from Tabor Academy frequently walking in the area.
Noel Pardo, who oversees summer programs at the academy, and serves on the working group, said he worries about traffic in the area. “I’ve seen so many near misses, it’s scary,’’ he said.
Town Manager Jay McGrail and Town Engineering Manager Meghan Davis told the select board that these initial ideas might be the easiest and most cost-efficient to implement as a first step.
They developed the three recommendations, McGrail said, after looking at “what we can do now that could potentially make an impact.”
Other recommendations in the report will be considered down the road, he said.
Select board chair Randy Parker said he would like to also discuss potential changes to other streets in the area, including Converse and Point roads.
McGrail said that the plan was to approach the issue in stages, but that a wider view could be taken sooner if that was the board’s preference.
Public outreach will be a crucial aspect of the proposal, McGrail said.
At the next select board meeting, scheduled for Aug. 16 at the Marion Police Station, public input will be solicited.
McGrail encouraged the public to reach out to him or select board members to provide feedback.
Pedestrian safety committee member Mike Russo said he thinks the public will like the potential changes. “I think you’ll see a lot of town support,” he said.
