Traffic Calming on Cochran Rd.
We have had a lot of different discussions and studies, both in the past, ongoing, and still to come, regarding traffic calming on Cochran Rd. Following is a short summary of next steps and the timeline of this process.
• Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) is working on a study to be completed by June 2023 to advise on locations of temporary traffic control measures. This will likely focus on temporary speed humps and painting.
• We have a request into CCRPC to work on a longer-term study to be completed by June 2024 which would be a corridor study for all of Cochran Rd. along with focused scoping for the 25 mile per hour sections at either end of Cochran Rd. It is likely that this project will be approved by CCRPC, but it has not yet been officially approved. This study will produce suggestions and locations for permanent traffic calming measures.
• CCRPC will conduct a traffic count in April or May in both 25 mph zones and in the 45 mph zone of Cochran Rd. This data will help to inform both studies 1) the temporary traffic control measures, and 2) the corridor and scoping study. This will be conducted prior to installation of temporary speed humps as the data gathered will help to inform the location of the speed humps.
• The Selectboard has expressed a desire to install radar speed feedback signs on either end or Cochran Rd. as soon as possible. CCRPC should have a recommendation for specific locations of these within a couple of weeks. These will hopefully slow traffic and the traffic count study will be affected by this, but in discussion with CCRPC we felt it was worth implementing this measure soon to try to make some more immediate change to speeds on Cochran Rd.