By Max Bowen-max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
Officials will review a request to establish a new speed limit in North Attleborough in an effort to minimize speeding-related accidents.
As a result of discussions by the Traffic Study Advisory Group, a proposal has been made to create a 25 MPH speed limit across town, except where such limits are already posted. Town Manager Michael Borg said that speeding is a “perpetual problem in any community.” In North Attleborough, several traffic accidents are reported to the police each week.
“There have been some fatalities in town on S. Washington Street where speeding was the direct cause,” said Borg.
According to Mass.gov, cities and towns can opt-in to Mass General Law Chapter 90, Subsection 17, reducing the statutory speed limit from 30 to 25 MPH in thickly settled or business districts. The law defines a thickly settled or business district as “the territory contiguous to any way which is built up with structures devoted to business, or the territory contiguous to any way where dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than two hundred feet between them for a distance of a quarter of a mile or over.”
Other cities or towns that have opted-in to this law include Randolph, Medford, Framingham, Dedham, and Brookline.
The proposal will be reviewed by the Bylaw Subcommittee and brought before the police to see which roads would require the new speed limit. DPW Director Mark Hollowell—who went before the council to discuss the proposal— added that the traffic group has received a number of requests to set such a limit.
“This would get the town down to a slower, safer number,” said Hollowell.
