Moretown Road Safety Committee

Slowing Traffic on Route 100B in Moretown

We are writing to request that the Selectboard ask the Vermont Traffic Committee (VTC) for a traffic study along Route 100B to slow traffic beginning north of Moretown Village and continuing south of the Village. We request adjusting speed zones and adding additional speed limit signs, as well as signage for pedestrians and bicyclists, including metal signposts and painted markings in the “breakdown” lane.

Route 100B is part of the National Byways of America and the Cross Vermont Trail accesses 1.3 miles of it to Hooper Lane/Lovers Lane. Cyclists, runners, and pedestrians use this beautiful section of Route 100B only to be scared off by the excessive speeds of cars and trucks.

Please note the following;

• Going south, there are only two 50mph speed limit signs on 100B from the junction of Rte 2 and 100B to the Village. The first sign is 0.3 miles from the intersection and the other is 4.7 miles later, just beyond Stevens Brook Road. This excessive distance without a speed limit reminder is not good practice. Going north there is a similar 4.6-mile stretch of road without speed-limit signage.
• The 50mph sign going south just past Stevens Brook Road is 0.4 miles before a 40mph sign at the curves — a notorious area for vehicles going off the road due to high speeds.
• On the other side of the Village, cars travel north toward Moretown on Rte 100 at 50mph. The speed limit changes to 40 mph 0.3 miles before the busy intersection of Rte 100 and Rte 100b. Cars are traveling at 40mph-plus through the busy intersection before a downhill, where signs indicate the need to slow before entering into the 30mph speed limit zone.

We would like to request that the Selectboard ask VTC to consider the following;

• On Rte 100B south from Route 2

-Going south, change the speed to 30mph from the intersection of Routes 100B and 2 for 0.8 miles, and then drop the 50mph speed at the dam to 40mph through the curve at Hooper Lane, a distance of 1.1 miles. The speed should then change to 50mph before slowing to 40mph just before Stevens Brook Road and then 35mph just before the curves along the Mad River. The speed would then drop to 30mph before crossing the bridge by Murphy Road into Moretown Village and remain at 30mph through the Village to the intersection of Routes 100B and 100. This will not only help slow speeds before entering the village but also help the neighbors living along 100B.

• On Rte 100B north

- Change the speed limit to 35mph before the intersection of Routes 100 and 100B and then drop it to 30mph before Camels Hump View Farm, with the speed warning sign dropping to 25mph after Camel Hump View Farm, just before the curves. Doing so would slow the speed before the hill, curves, Freeman Hill Road, and into the Village.

- Traveling southbound speed changes should mirror the northbound changes described above.

• Going both north and south on Route 100B, please install additional 50mph speed limit signs as well as bicycle and pedestrian signage—both metal signposts and painted markings in the “breakdown” lane.
• We would like to further request that a No Jake Brake ordinance be instituted from the intersection of Routes 100 and 100B through the Village north to Stevens Brook Road. The amount of trucking through Moretown Village into the Valley and points south on Route 100 has grown. The noise and speed of the trucks are difficult for residents, and the use of Jake Brakes only exacerbates the issue.

Changing the speed limits, adding signage, and restricting the use of Jake Brakes will have a positive effect on the lives of residents in Moretown and will not affect motorists as they travel to and fro.

Thank you for listening to our concerns,

The neighbors and residents of Moretown