Speed Humps - Walnut Street
Adopted
Result
151
Yes
16
No
3
Abstain
Activity summary
Adopted (151-16-3)
Vote
13
Discussion threads
Community discussion
13 threads.
Arguments for
Traffic calming (speed humps/lane markings) is more important for overall safety on Walnut Street than speed cushions.
— Richard Canale, Pct 9
The Transportation Safety Group (TSG) includes Police, DPW, Engineering, and Planning, all of whom prefer speed hump installation over other options.
— Richard Canale, Pct 9
The benefits to daily walking and biking safety outweigh the minor inconvenience of lost seconds for emergency vehicles.
— Richard Canale, Pct 9
Article 28 is a cost-effective, permanent solution compared to previous 'temporary' proposals that were viewed as wasteful.
— Robert Rotberg, Pct 3
TSG is not inherently opposed to humps or cushions; they would have recommended cushions if a previous article hadn't already been proposed.
— Robert Rotberg, Pct 3
Arguments against
The Fire Department has flagged concerns regarding emergency-response delays and mechanical stress on heavily-loaded fire trucks.
— Eran Strod, Pct 6
Emergency vehicles with narrower axles (police cars/ambulances) cannot straddle speed cushion cutouts and will be forced to slow down.
— Eran Strod, Pct 6
Median islands (the alternative solution) are viewed as potential safety hazards/accidents waiting to happen.
— Ruth Thomas, Pct 4
Key questions raised
What other town departments would speed humps negatively impact besides the Fire Department?
— Ruth Thomas, Pct 4
If speed cushions are designed to permit emergency vehicles and buses to maintain speed, would that apply to trucks as well?
— Ruth Thomas, Pct 4
Discussion threads
Laura Swain
26 msgs
Article 28 is about speed humps on Walnut Street. I drive Walnut Street on a daily basis- it's fairly busy and quite narrow. last year the fire department indicated speed bumps increase wear and tear …
Eran Strod
11 msgs
Seeing the residents of Walnut St standing in the rain holding signs convinced me to take a deeper look at article 28 - "speed humps on Walnut St." Turns out there is history... In November 2023 at Sp…
Jeanne Canale
7 msgs
Town Meeting Members, I am sending this letter on behalf of a South Lexington resident. Jeanne Canale, Pct. 9 ---------------------------- Letter in support of Article 28, Walnut Street traffic calmin…
Robert Rotberg
4 msgs
This might be useful for our deliberations: sPEED CUSHIONS VS. SPEED BUMPS Speed cushions have a raised section that is elongated. They also have wheel cutouts to allow emergency vehicles and buses to…
Richard Canale
Pct 9
3 msgs
What is being lost is who does each Town Office advocate for. It seems that the Fire and Police Departments advocate for fire and police safety for their own vehicles and a small number of residents, …
Robert Rotberg
Pct 3
3 msgs
Fellow Town Meeting Members: Article 28, safety on Walnut St., will come before us on April 8. At that time there will be a video presentation, together with 8 slides. Because viewing the slides in To…
Eran Strod
2 msgs
The Fire Department has repeatedly flagged emergency-response delays and mechanical stress on heavily-loaded fire trucks as concerns with any vertical traffic calming measure. A fire truck might not b…
Steven Heinrich
Pct 3
2 msgs
Please find a courtesy post on Article 28 from Scott Fitzgerald. Steve Heinrich Town Meeting Member, Precinct 3 Begin Forwarded Message: From: Scott FitzGerald <Scott@...> Sent: Friday, April 3, 2026 …
Robert Rotberg
Pct 3
2 msgs
Dear Fellow TMs In case members overlooked this additional nugget of Town information regarding Article 28, I repeat it here. The Assistant Town Engineer wrote to a Town Meeting member that the Transp…
Innessa Manning
Pct 3
2 msgs
I found this piece from the Federal Highway Administration about the impact of traffic calming measures and emergency response helpful (see Section 5.3 for information about Speed Cushions) and sharin…
Jenny Richlin
Pct 4
1 msg
Article 28 question
With permission, I am forwarding Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh's response to the following questions I posted on the Town Meeting web page: 1. Is there data to support the claim that speed bumps, humps,…
[email protected]
1 msg
yRe: [TMMALex] Article 28
Letitia Hom
Pct 7
1 msg
Environmental & Social Justice Discussion also applies to Article 16e - NO [Fwd: Article 28: Accurate Reporting on the Negative Aspects of Lithium-Ion Batteries (Citizen Petition)]
Dear Town Meeting Members, Mr. Baskin's Article 28 presentation and the discussion that followed regarding negative Environmental and Social Justice consequences and greenwashing apply to buildings' c…