This summer Town and County staff have heard some community chatter about issues with seeing around street corners due to large vehicles parked near intersections in Town.
In response, the Town’s Public Works team is extending red ‘No Parking Zones’ curbs to be 20 (instead of 10) feet from crosswalks and at least 30 feet from intersections with crosswalks. In addition, Town staff will continue evaluating sight triangles and vehicle heights to consider obstructions that might block views of vehicles, bikers, and pedestrians. Sight triangles, as pictured, are specific areas at the approach to intersections including corners that are ideally free of obstructions.
Annual Maintenance: Given our climate and routine snow removal, curb and road striping deteriorate quickly and must be refreshed each year. The Town’s Public Works’ streets crew re-paints crosswalks and curbs annually and strives to get this work done as early in the summer season as possible, but it takes time and is delayed if we are short staffed. As intersections are updated, 20 foot long ‘No Parking Zone’ curbs are painted red and included as a standard going forward.
Overall, the Town’s team is working collaboratively with our Regional Transportation Planning Administrator on safer approaches across and within Town corridors including things like lighting at crosswalks. Staff may include broader, related policy issues in discussion with Town Council in future years.
