WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A proposal to lower the speed limit in West Springfield from 30 miles per hour down to 25 in thickly settled areas, and on roads where there is no posted speed limit, was rejected by the Town Council on Tuesday.
“I think 25 miles per hour would promote safe driving, and would make people more conscious of their speeds when driving throughout town,” said District 2 Town Councilor Michael LaFlamme.
He is one of two councilors out of 8 on the Town Council in West Springfield who voted in support of lowering the speed limit. LaFlamme said that so far this year, West Springfield police have written three times as many traffic tickets compared to last year, and it’s only September.
“By the end of the year, we will probably be somewhere between four and five times as many tickets are written all of last year, and we’re still hearing people say ‘we need to do something to address this issue,” said LaFlamme.
Residents have been urging the town to make roads safer, especially in busy areas like Bernie Avenue, Dewey Street, and Piper Road. That’s where a woman and her dog were killed while crossing the street back in December of 2022.
Councilor Michael Eger voted against the proposal, saying a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit likely wouldn’t make roads any safer.
“We need to enforce the rules we have, and allow people to get to work, get to soccer practice, and drive safely,” said Councilor Eger. “I’m against anything that bypasses engineering studies, and makes West Side a speed trap.”
On October 2, Mayor Will Reichelt is expected to present all the projects happening in town that are aimed at creating safer roads.
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