BY KEVIN SHALVEY
Don Torbich of Brick Mill Road said his mailbox has been hit 10 times in 24 years. Most recently, his neighbor hit it while avoiding a speeding car.
Neighbors living near the intersection of Brick Mill and Ledgewood roads say it’s dangerous and are asking the town to take a look at adding stop signs to curb speeding.
Carrie Tulloch, who has 2-year-old twins and lives at 42 Ledgewood Road, said she hasn’t seen any accidents but cars drive quickly down Brick Mill Road. If they turn onto her street, they could clip her car when she pulls out of her driveway.
On May 22, Tulloch and others brought their concerns to the Bedford Highway Safety Committee.
“I feel like I don’t have any right to complain about the intersection unless I try to make it better,” Tulloch said.
Brick Mill Road’s Andy Tambulevich’s driveway runs into the three-way intersection. He said the problem is the limited-sight distance mixed with speeding on the 30 mph road.
Next to his driveway, at 70 Brick Mill Road, there’s a gravel spot where a Bedford school bus picks students up.
“I think it’s the safety of everyone on that corner, specifically the kids waiting for the bus,” he said.
Solutions could include a stop sign or cutting trees down for better sight distance on the curvy Brick Mill Road.
“I don’t think, in this instance, that those residents would allow us to cut down those trees to increase sight distance,” said Jim Stanford, director of public works.
Police Chief David Bailey said stop signs shouldn’t be used to control speed. Also, a stop sign would make it a three-way stop, which would be a rarity, he said.
“If there needs to be a unique situation, we’ll certainly consider it. Safety is the name of our game,” Bailey said.
He said the department will look at speeding on the road and may bring the speed-limit trailer -- showing cars how quickly they’re driving -- to the road.
Until about five years ago, Brick Mill Road ended in the cul-de-sac shared with Ledgewood Road. Brick Mill Road was then extended south of the cul-de-sac for a 50-house development.
“Since they’ve built those houses, there’s been a significant increase in traffic and a significant increase in speed,” Torbich said.
He said through traffic might increase with the new Hannaford store coming to Route 101.