BATH — For some travelers, a popular Bath shortcut is about to become a bit less convenient.

The city plans to spend around $35,000 to install traffic calming measures – including temporary bollards and delineators, “bolt-able” speed humps and constructions barrels – on Richardson Street and Western Avenue. The effort is being done to slow down traffic and deter people from using the residential streets as a shortcut to High Street.

“All of this stuff is going to be temporary,” City Manager Peter Owen said. “The intent is to put out traffic calming measures and to then do a survey after it’s all done to assess whether this is something that is favored by the neighbor and the community at large.

“We’ve seen other communities do this – spend a lot of money and then spend money to take it out because the public hated it. This is our effort to try to try it.”

City councilors have been hearing complaints from residents in that area for more than a year, particularly about cars traveling at excessive speeds in the otherwise calm neighborhood. They have told city officials the area gets cut-through traffic from drivers looking to avoid the High Street ramp.

Police have maintained an increased presence and stopped drivers for speeding, but after studying traffic in the area, city officials are opting to put the temporary measures in place.

Owen said that if residents like the changes, and traffic issues are resolved as a result, the city could consider installing permanent devices in the area. Assistant City Manager Marc Meyers said the temporary devices will be in place for three months.

Owen estimated the city had spent about $20,000 on engineering for the traffic calming measures, and Meyers estimated the cost of their installation at around $15,000.

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