Police report heavy speeding at Arrowhead Park; council considers speed tables, park paving and ADA upgrades

The town's police chief reported data from recent traffic studies that the council said underscores an urgent traffic‑calming need at Arrowhead Park.

The chief said a four‑day study recorded 4,112 vehicles and many speeders through Arrowhead Park, noting a striking drop in speeds at locations after installing speed tables in other areas. "There were 4,112... that's 1,000 a day," the chief said, describing a before‑and‑after effect: at one site speeders fell from hundreds to a few dozen after installing a traffic calming feature.

Council members discussed options for traffic calming in park areas (speed tables vs. speed bumps in parking lots), insurance requirements (paint the bumps yellow), and coordination with a park grant that funds paving, LED lighting and ADA compliance. Staff noted the park paving and LED/ADA project carries an $89,150 grant toward a total estimated cost of roughly $133,000, with the town responsible for the remainder.

For some park locations the chief recommended lower‑cost speed bumps that can be placed in parking lots where full 14‑ft speed tables are not appropriate; for areas with steep grades (Spring Street) staff preferred installing a four‑way stop instead of a speed table because of the incline constraint.

Council also discussed sealing portions of the parking area after paving to reduce maintenance costs and the logistics of painting speed bumps to satisfy liability/insurance requirements.

The council asked staff to factor traffic‑calming elements into park‑grant planning and to include striping/paint and ADA considerations in the implementation schedule.

No formal vote was recorded; staff and the police chief will coordinate specifics and incorporate feasible speed‑calming measures into the park project and maintenance plan.