I've probably annoyed a few impatient drivers as I work hard to adhere to the speed limits on Gay Street, but as I drove home the other day I was reminded how the street itself is just too fast. No amount of signage and good intentions can overcome the fact that it is a wide country road that invites drivers to go 50mph or more in many sections.

The speed limits are confusing and arbitrary. Starting from High Street, a 25mph zone (ignored by most people approaching High Street) quickly becomes a 40mph zone until, after coasting down the hill to Milk St, it becomes 35.  At the Pine Lane crosswalk, the speed limit drops to 30 and the Hanlon school zone begins. These speed limits are enforced by town police sitting in the Hanlon parking lot or on Buckboard Lane. As I passed Buckboard, I looked down and realized I was going 45--and was thankful no police office was there to catch me.

Now we can be angry about speeders...but many times, they are us. We can post more signs and increase enforcement, but as the folks who have been working on traffic calming measures for Canton/Everett/Forbes know, changing behavior requires changing the physical attributes of the road. A book I read recently on suburban sprawl commented that "Posting speed limits to slow traffic on high-speed roads is futile, because people drive at the speed at which they feel safe--and teenagers drive at the speed at which they feel dangerous."

In order to improve safety and quality of life in town, it's going to take a lot more than wishful thinking. The C/E/F project continues, although I have not heard any public updates except that Westwood Station will be providing $2 million towards implementing what residents decide they want. I noticed an article in the Daily News Transcript that says Governor Patrick has vetoed an earmark for $50,000 towards a traffic safety study that was needed to justify a traffic light near the Highland Glen Apartments. It all costs money, apparantly lots of money...but for a moment let's imagine what could be...

• crosswalk stoplight at Pine Lane and Gay...and another at Forest on Pine.
• sidewalks on both sides of Gay Street in Islington, and all they way from Washington St to High Street. Maybe some sections could be more a jogging path/bike trail, e.g. between Milk and Thatcher.
• Narrow Gay Street and make it a 30mph zone all 2 miles.
• Increased sidewalks and traffic calming on Pine Lane--a cut through/feeder road to the "Gay Expressway."

Based on my limited information, that sort of ambitious program is a multi-million dollar dream. But we should start somewhere.