When a resident or neighborhood association states its desire for “safety improvements” on a street, they are expressing their belief that motorists are not driving at the speed limit, or that their street is experiencing an unnecessarily high volume of traffic that is not generated by adjacent properties. If these conditions are confirmed to exist, the DPW - Transportation Division will work with the impacted neighborhood to develop and implement a safety improvement plan.

In general terms, a safety improvement plan is a list of actions or devices found to be effective in reducing vehicle speeds, changing traffic flows, or altering driver behavior so as to create safer conditions for residents, motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians on a specific street or streets. In practice, a safety improvement project might involve the simple installation of a STOP sign at an intersection or the creation of a controlled pedestrian crossing.

On a larger scale, safety improvements might involve the wholesale reconstruction of a street to include the installation of speed humps, raised crosswalks, or curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossing distances. A host of transportation and engineering considerations will determine the most effective and feasible course of action at any location.

The DPW - Transportation Division receives numerous complaints each year from Brookline residents claiming that motorists are speeding on their streets. The DPW staff coordinates closely with the Brookline Police Department Traffic Division to review all complaints and prioritize them based on our familiarity with traffic flow and safety conditions in the area. As a result, a neighborhood request for a safety improvement evaluation cannot always be addressed by the DPW in the order in which it is received. Traffic and safety concerns on streets that provide access to a public school, or represent major walk-to-school or bicycle-to-school routes receive priority attention. Streets that are heavily traveled by pedestrians seeking access to a public park, senior center, public/government building, commercial area, or private facility (e.g., private school, healthcare facility) are also given priority.

If you or your neighborhood association would like to request that a safety improvement measure or measures be evaluated for application on a specific street or streets, send a written request to the Transportation Board for consideration. Send the request to:

DPW - Transportation Division

333 Washington Street

Brookline, MA 02445.

To the extent possible, the request should identify the street(s) or areas of concern, describe the nature of the problem(s), and be signed by one or more abutters in the area.

For further information or answers to questions you may have regarding the safety improvement process please contact the DPW - Transportation Division at (617) 730-2177