Bedford Speed Limit is 25 MPH in Thickly Settled Neighborhoods

February 14, 2018

Submitted by the Bedford Department of Public Works

The DPW created a map showing Bedford’s posted speed limits – Image (c) DPW, 2018 all rights reserved – Click to view a larger version

The Bedford Selectmen recently voted to reduce the speed limit from 30 MPH to 25 MPH in thickly settled areas.  For this purpose, a thickly settled area is a street where houses are less than 200 feet apart for at least a quarter of a mile.

The Selectmen’s vote was a follow up to the Town Meeting approval in March 2017 to adopt the provisions of the Massachusetts Modernization Act, allowing municipalities more flexibility in establishing local speed limits.

The Town adopted the lower speed limit partially in response to complaints of cut-thru traffic in our neighborhoods.  The reduced speed limit affects all roadways that do not currently have a posted, i.e. regulatory speed limit.  The accompanying graphic shows all roadways with regulatory speed limits as well as roads that qualify as thickly settled;  these will now have a statutory speed limit of 25 MPH.  Click this link to view, print or download a full-sized version of the speed zone map

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Regulatory speed limits must be posted;  statutory roadways do not need to be posted such that the default speed limit in Bedford is now 25 MPH.  In order to notify motorists, mandatory signage will be installed at all roadways entering Bedford.

Once the signs are in place, the reduced speed limits can be enforced.

For additional information, please contact the Bedford Police Department, Public Works Department, Selectmen or the Transportation Advisory Committee.

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Tuvok
February 14, 2018 10:13 pm

While I appreciate the efforts being put forth to reduce speeding and make our town less attractive as a cut-through, I feel like these new speed limits won’t mean anything unless they are more strictly enforced. Right now even with the 30 mph zones I rarely ever see people pulled over, let alone traffic enforcement officers checking people’s speed. During the afternoon rush hour, I frequently get tailgated on my drive home by cars with NH license plates that want to do 40+ mph in 25 mph zones, while I’m obeying the limit. My house isn’t on a main road, and yet in the morning and evening it’s not uncommon to see cars blowing by at 35-40 mph despite posted signs about children and other deterrents.

I think our police department needs to step up the enforcement, especially during busy times. I work in a large organization nearby and have overheard many people talk about how Bedford is a great cut-through to get to work. I think it’s time we change our reputation as a cut-through town and start making people talk about how strict Bedford is with our speed limits.

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