The Town of Northborough Traffic Safety Committee reviewed a townwide speed-and-safety survey Wednesday that drew 706 responses and found most residents do not favor reducing the statutory speed limit in thickly settled or business districts from 30 mph to 25 mph.

Committee member Josh (no last name provided) presented the tabulation, saying, “There were 706 people people that responded, so it was very well received.” He reported that 94% of respondents identified as town residents and that 99% regularly use a motor vehicle.

The nut graf: the survey showed broad support for the current limits and stronger interest in pedestrian and enforcement measures than a blanket statutory reduction. Josh told the committee that 411 respondents said the speed limit was “just right” while 68 said it was “too high.” Asked whether the statutory limit should be reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph, 47% said no and 41% said yes.

Beyond the numeric split, the survey identified pedestrian crossings, increased enforcement and improved signage/markings as the top priorities for improving safety. Josh summarized: “Those are the top 3 answers.”

Committee members framed the survey as a benchmark rather than a directive to change policy. Chairman Bill Pierce noted the committee’s work extends beyond vehicle speeds to pedestrian and bicycle safety. Town staff member Scott told the committee the survey will be kept on file: “We have all the hard survey data. And, you know, in the event a resident comes up and, you know, sees that they did this and another community asks us about it, we convey the the survey results to them so they can see it.”

Several members said the results suggest prioritizing pedestrian improvements over a statutory speed reduction. Committee member Brian said that while the survey focuses on vehicles, “You still got pedestrian issues. Remember, we came up with the, the crosswalks, right, trying to make the crosswalks safer at schools.” Kate and other members noted sidewalk gaps and asked staff to retain the data for future reference.

The committee did not take any regulatory action on statutory speed limits at the meeting. Members agreed to keep the survey as a baseline for future work and to consider pedestrian and enforcement-focused projects when opportunities arise.

Ending: Scott and committee members said the data could be revisited in the future; no follow-up timeline was set beyond routine documentation of the survey results.