Moretown Road Safety Committee

Slowing Traffic on Route 2 in Moretown

As residents of Moretown and neighbors on Route 2, Gallagher Acres, and Fairground Road, we request that the Selectboard ask for a traffic study on Route 2 between Gallagher Acres and the landfill, a distance of 1.8 miles, to assess the speed of vehicles, keeping in mind the proximity of homes with children and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. We want to see the speed limit reduced from 50mph to 40mph.

We also request the Select Board to ask that the 35mph speed limit along Route 2 from Gallagher Acres to Route 100, a distance of 0.6 miles, be reduced to 30mph to connect with the 25mph zone into Waterbury Village.

Trucks, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians compete for space as they use the road between Middlesex and Waterbury. As many as 20 homes, many with children and four with multiple units, are located directly on Route 2 between Gallagher Acres and the landfill. Other homes are on side roads that feed into Route 2. Fast-moving traffic and the associated noise are not conducive to children playing nearby, detract from neighborhood comradery, and contribute to feelings of anxiety and risk.

Please note the following distances:

• Traveling west on Route 2, there is a 50mph sign 0.1 miles from Center Road. The next speed sign occurs 3.4 miles later at the 35mph zone.
• The only speed warning signs are at the bridge by the State Garage, suggesting 40mph, and the curve at the picnic area and hilly curve.

Also, please note that despite including part of the Cross-Vermont Bike Trail (https://www.crossvermont.org/our_trail/gm8.htm) and being a regular commuting route, this section of Route 2 does not have bike lanes or wide shoulders. Reducing the speed limit is important for the safety of cyclists. Shoulders are either narrow, unmarked, or non-existent; curves in the road prohibit good visibility; and fast-moving vehicles don’t always have the time or space to move aside for bicyclists and pedestrians. Adding pedestrian and bike signage, along with markings on the road would help mitigate this situation.

Finally, please note that when the Vermont Traffic Committee approved lowering the speed limit to 35mph from Gallagher Acres to the Route 100 junction, they decided that a “Pedestrians Ahead” warning sign would be installed. As of this writing, no sign has been installed.

Thank you for listening to our concerns,

The residents of Moretown and neighbors of Route 2, Gallagher Acres, and Fairground Road