Hamilton Select Board orders traffic study for dangerous Goodhue Street

HAMILTON -- October 16, 2023, Hamilton Select Board unanimously orders traffic study for Goodhue Street, eying a 25 mph speed limit. The board voted Monday to hire engineering firm TEC to conduct a formal speed and safety study of the narrow scenic road, which currently carries a state default limit of 40 miles per hour because no signs are posted. Police Captain Scott James and Public Works Director Tim Olson presented an informal eight-day count showing an average speed of 26 mph among 1,966 vehicles, and said the study will cost roughly $3,000 to $4,000 and take about two months before results can be submitted to the state Department of Transportation. Three residents, including Lynette Fallon and Nancy Baker, described the road as a daily hazard for pedestrians and said Pingree School morning traffic regularly produces speeds near 50 mph. The board flagged a one-way designation and a reconfiguration of the angled Highland Street intersection as potential follow-on actions pending engineering recommendations. The board also voted unanimously to amend the Human Rights Commission charter, increasing at-large seats from five to six and removing the Housing Authority designee requirement.