Hanover Avenue Needs Action Before Another Family Pays the Price

For residents who live along Hanover Avenue in Ashland, the danger of speeding traffic is a daily reality.

My husband and I have watched cars race up and down Hanover Avenue night after night, often doubling the 25-mile-per-hour speed limit. Three of our vehicles have been totaled by careless speeding drivers after we dared to park on the street in front of our home. Two of these vehicles—a Dodge Charger and a bright red Ford F-150—were totaled just within the last eight months.

But this matter is not just about preventing total losses on our cars. It's about the safety of Ashland's children. Families with small children regularly use Hanover Avenue to walk into town, visit friends, or make their way to the farmers' market, Fourth Fridays, the baseball fields, and other recreational areas and events. This walk through the neighborhood is not the leisurely walk that it should be. We all have to keep our heads on a swivel, wary of drivers thinking they’re playing Need for Speed.

We have appealed to Ashland's Public Works Department for help. In response, officials pointed to the newly adopted “Traffic Calming Program” and indicated that the Ashland Police Department would begin the appropriate traffic studies. Maybe this is a baby step in the right direction, but whatever measures that have already been put in place—such as the radar speed signs installed near the ballparks—have done nothing to mitigate the danger that residents continue to face. The large majority of cars still go way too fast.

The situation becomes even more concerning when considering the proposed redevelopment of the old Henry Clay Elementary School into a 55-unit apartment complex. More residents inevitably mean more vehicles, which will increase the opportunities for accidents on an already problematic roadway.

We were told that speed bumps are not a viable option because Hanover Avenue serves as a direct vein for emergency services. While that concern is understandable, I can't help but wonder how many future emergencies speed bumps might prevent. Additionally, speed bumps are not the only traffic-calming tool available. The town should consider alternatives, such as upgrading the radar speed signs so that they flash red and blue warning lights when the speed limit is exceeded. Other options include rumble strips, enhanced crosswalk markings (on the Duncan, James, and Snead intersections), pedestrian warning beacons, increased police enforcement during peak hours, and roadway design changes that naturally encourage drivers to slow down.

Residents are not asking for inconvenience.

We are asking for prevention.

The measures the Town of Ashland have implemented are not enough. The town has an opportunity to act before another vehicle is destroyed or, worse, a pedestrian is injured or killed. Must we wait until then before meaningful action is taken?