WEST SPRINGFIELD – Residents of West Springfield have cited speeding in residential neighborhoods as a major problem throughout the city.

To combat this issue, Mayor William Reichelt has proposed the installation of speed humps across areas where speeding is a constant dilemma.

“While the town would like to be able to monitor these issues by the use of police details and enforcement through ticketing, we simply do not have the manpower to do so,” said Reichelt.

The city has also pursued other methods to help curb speeding such as the portable sign that registers the speed of cars as they pass, as well as additional signage in “problem areas.” According to Reichelt though, these efforts have not eradicated the issue.

The mayor has now submitted an ordinance to the Town Council that asks them to support this new plan for speed humps.

In order for a speed hump to be implemented in a problem area, two-thirds of property owners in that problem area must petition for a speed hump to be installed. Following a review of this petition by the Department of Public Works (DPW) as well as the West Springfield Police and Fire Departments, the Town Council would vote to approve or deny the aforementioned petition.

“This is another tool in the box to work towards the whole goal for our streets,” said Robert Colson, the director of Public Works for West Springfield. “Speeding is number one, but the whole big picture is to make the town safer for everybody.”

According to Colson, there are no planned locations for speed humps at this current moment. The ordinance was proposed right before the New Year holidays. Any petitions from residents will be reviewed by the Traffic and Safety Committee on Monday nights, and then go straight to the council for a vote.  

“It’s based on the road being functionally classified as a local road,” said Colson, with regards to what types of roads can be considered for speed humps. “We’re using a pre-existing classification of roadways to determine the eligibility of where a speed hump could go, if requested.”

There is a functional classification map that shows how streets are classified in West Springfield. According to this sheet, there are a little over 530 total streets in the city. Out of these streets, 438 of them are functionally classified as “local.” This means that 438 streets can have speed humps, but only if the majority of residents on that street petition to have one.

“Along Route 20 you have streets like Ohio and Greystone – those are kind of wide open,” said Colson, when talking about certain “local” roads. “Those roads are almost 4,000 feet long. Especially after paving a road, people tend to really pick up their speed by accident.”

Reichelt has also included the option of a temporary trial period with rubber speed humps to allow residents to be acclimated before the real ones are implemented. Residents who petition for a speed hump, may request this trial period to the council, according to the ordinance.

"I believe that this tool will be an important one to have available to discuss the very serious concerns of residents related to speeding in their neighborhoods,” said Reichelt.