High Street Intersection

High Street Intersection, Chestertown

While surveying the Chestertown residents to determine community concerns regarding pedestrian and traffic safety, Towns Project Manager Owen Bailey was made aware of local concerns about the intersection of High Street and Water Street. According to a resident who lives near the intersection, there have been consistent safety concerns due to cars speeding through the intersection, often disregarding posted signs and pedestrians; furthermore, the crosswalks on High Street are rather longer than the average crosswalk, leaving pedestrians even more vulnerable.

In response, Bailey proposed a demonstration plan roughly a year ago to create a temporary installation that would pinch the intersection, making the crosswalks shorter and the intersection narrower while requiring oncoming vehicles to slow down as they pass through the intersection. Once Chestertown approved the plan, we helped to install traffic cones that formed the temporary bump-outs and continued to monitor the intersection, making sure that vehicles of all sizes could safely pass through and make turns using the intersection.

Phase 1 of the High St Intersection project, with small cones being used to outline where the curbs would be extended to pinch the intersection.

Once the layout of the pinch points was proven to be effective at slowing traffic while still allowing enough room for vehicles, Bailey worked with residents to gain community consensus and raise funds to complete the project. The project then moved into Phase 2, wherein white poles were bolted into the street to create a more permanent structure of greater visibility.

Phase 2 of the High St Intersection project, with white poles bolted into the street to provide a more permanent outline of the pinch points

The next phase of this project will see the bump-outs being made into permanent structures that will match the architectural aesthetic of the area. The design and timeline of Phase 3 are still being determined, but below are some examples of similar projects that we admire.

If you live, work, or commute in this area or have ever had noteworthy experiences with this intersection, we want to hear from you! Please feel free to contact us with any and all of your questions, comments, and/or concerns by emailing us at info@eslc.org with the subject “High St. Intersection, Chestertown.”

For more information on this project, please enjoy this video from the Chestertown Spy.