Speedy motorists take note: South Burlington police add radar signs, respond to complaints

If you drive through South Burlington regularly, you may have noticed more radar signs than usual gauging your speed. The South Burlington Police Department hopes to discourage speeders by adding more of these temporary signs along busy roads in the area.

“We have had a spike of complaints in some areas,” Police Chief Shawn Burke said. “And so as part of that we wanted to try to educate the public and mitigate this in a way that doesn’t involve handing out speeding tickets.”

On Dorset Street

Dorset Street in particular can pose a problem for drivers with lead feet because of the transition from rural neighborhoods to urban roads where pedestrians and cyclists abound.

As the weather draws more people outdoors in the spring and summer every year, there is typically a surge in reports of speeding, Burke said.

“I hope that the trailer brings awareness not only to motorists but also to those making the complaints about what the realities are about vehicle speed,” Burke said. “I hope that everyone can just slow down and be more respectful of how these spaces are used in a shared way.”

If complaints persist even with the increase in speed trailers, police say they will begin advertising an enforcement campaign, stationing cruisers in the area and issuing tickets.

For the time being however, speeders have the chance to slow down.

Contact Sadie Housberg at shousberg@freepressmedia.com or (802) 660-1845. Follow her on Twitter at @HousbergSadie.