NORWAY – Newly elected selectmen’s chairman, George Tibbetts, asked Police Chief Robert Federico on Thursday if anything could be done about jaywalkers downtown.
Federico said he’d received comments on this issue from pedestrians in the past week. “Some were from some older citizens,” he said. “They felt as though a lot of vehicles were not stopping for them when they were in the crosswalks.”
The majority of the problem, though, is not cars that don’t stop for pedestrians but pedestrians who don’t use the crosswalks.
Federico said “Unfortunately I see a lot of people who are not using the crosswalks and, quite frankly, if somebody’s not in the crosswalk and it’s a nice day, I’m not going to stop for them. They really should be in the crosswalk to be safe.”
“If it’s pouring rain and it’s an elderly lady with two bags of groceries, that’s a little bit different,” he cautioned. “I mean, you need to use common sense.”
Federico said the town used to have barricades, small signs that sit on the center line, at either end of Main Street warning drivers to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. The barricades were lost or damaged, though, and have not been replaced.
Town Manager David Holt said the Maine Department of Transportation has warned towns against the barricades, saying that if a vehicle strikes one and causes damage to either a pedestrian or a vehicle the town may be liable.
“Having said that, and realizing that many towns choose to use them,” Holt said, he feels the town should go ahead with the barricades if selectmen chooses to.
Federico noted that the majority of the jaywalking problem happens in front of the post office. Selectmen felt that adding another crosswalk in the area, though, would not solve the problem and parking spaces would be lost.
The board asked Federico if the Police Department’s bike patrol would inform jaywalkers that they are breaking the law. Federico agreed to do so. He will also speak to the Rowe School about borrowing the barricades used by crossing guards during the school year to remind drivers to stop for pedestrians.
Federico introduced Michael Lothrop, the top candidate for a full-time position with the Police Department, to the board. Lothrop, originally from Rockland, is a full-time dispatcher for York County Communications. He has also worked as a part-time officer for the Bridgton Police Department.
At Federico’s recommendation, the board voted to make Lothrop a full-time member of the Norway Police Department.
In other business, selectmen voted to accept a five-year payment plan for the $1 million road bond approved at the last town meeting. By paying over five years as opposed to 10 years, the town will save about $102,500 in interest.
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