Transportation
So far, the speed boards have achieved what officials describe as the desired effect of slowing down traffic on specific paths, DCR says.
A speed board pictured in 2018 on L Street in South Boston. David L Ryan/Globe Staff
New speed boards set up by the Department of Conservation and Recreation across the state — in Jamaica Plain and along the Charles River Esplanade — are aimed at getting cyclists to slow down, not just drivers, officials said.
These speed boards alert drivers and cyclists to decrease their speed when going too fast. They also gather data, such as path user volume, to help officials assess the level of activity on certain properties, a DCR spokesperson told Boston.com.
DCR installed several boards along the Southwest Corridor Park and Centre Street in Jamaica Plain tracking both cyclists and vehicles, the spokesperson said.
The installations come after state officials received concerns from residents about the high speeds of cyclists, according to DCR.
Following user and stakeholder feedback from the Southwest Corridor Action Plan public process, DCR announced in 2024 that it would pilot new safety measures on the Southwest Corridor Park, which included the installation of speed feedback boards.
The initiative is designed to decrease the quantity of vehicles moving at excessive speeds that threaten the safety of others sharing the path.
According to the DCR spokesperson, additional speed boards to monitor cyclists — not motor vehicles — have been set up along the Charles River Esplanade and Cambridge’s Memorial Drive. The speed boards on Memorial Drive were installed along the Paul Dudley White Path, which runs parallel to the street.
Other installations across the state include Milton’s Neponset River Reservation, the Cape Cod Rail Trail, Greenway’s Mass Central Rail Trail, and the Norwottuck Rail Trail, which extends from Northampton to Belchertown. Speed boards in these areas will only track cyclist traffic, according to DCR.
Officials said speed boards are scheduled to be installed on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Cheshire this summer.
So far, the speed boards have achieved what officials described as the desired effect of slowing down traffic on specific paths, the DCR spokesperson said, adding that the department has received positive feedback from users.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
