NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen on Monday formed a Public Safety Committee in response to a citizen-initiated effort to deal with safety and speed on local roads.
Two selectmen and one fire/rescue squad member will serve on the seven-member standing committee. The initiative launches a safe roads program from recommendations recently completed by a Traffic Safety Ad- Hoc Committee.
Ad hoc member Patrick O’Brien spearheaded the project after he conducted a survey with his neighbors last fall. He said that speeding problems are unabated. He and his neighbors told selectmen that traffic-calming solutions were needed to deal with speed and danger to pedestrians in his Cobb’s Bridge Road neighborhood.
Selectmen formed the ad hoc group in response to O’Brien’s dramatic demonstration in which he showed a bag of fragments from a motorcycle accident near his home that resulted in personal injury.
This time, instead of fragments of debris, O’Brien brought pieces of a program that he hopes will prevent these kinds of accidents in the future and make living in a rural town safer.
“Our mandate was to find cost-efficient alternatives for the entire town of New Gloucester,” said O’Brien. “These concepts are used in other parts of the country.”
O’Brien said a partnership of a public campaign and enforcement will strengthen the New Gloucester Safe Roads Program.
A pledge signed by local motorists states they agree to drive within the speed limit on all roads in New Gloucester. The pledge also strives to minimize car use by bundling trips. And, drivers pledge to be careful, conscientious and courteous to walkers, joggers, bicyclists and children when driving in New Gloucester. Bumper stickers will be issued stating: “Save a Life. Go the Limit.”
Drivers will operate vehicles as mobile speed bumps, said O’Brien.
Grants will be sought to help pay for educational material, speed boards and purchased police speed and radar details targeting hot spots.
“This is a quality-of-life issue for everyone. We want to be a healthy society getting out and enjoying the outdoors. If we can’t walk on our street, then we’re not holding true our comprehensive plan,” he said.
New Gloucester relies on rural patrols by the Maine State Police and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. Voters last May overwhelmingly nixed hiring a full-time patrol officer to work 40 hours weekly in the town.
Sitting in the audience, Cumberland County Commissioner Esther B. Clennot and County Manager Peter Crichton prepared to give selectmen an overview of the role of county government.
Clennot announced that county government would assist New Gloucester to apply for a grant to launch the program.
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