August 27, 2026 by Carol Britton Meyer
Town Engineer J.R. Frey presented several traffic committee recommendations to the select board this week – including a conceptual design to potentially install a roundabout at the tricky Cushing/South Pleasant/Main Street intersection (in the beginning stages – nothing yet decided) – and also provided a progress report on the one-lane roundabout planned for the Short/Main/Middle Street intersection in Hingham Centre to enhance the safety of pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists after numerous accidents and near-misses.
The busy and challenging Cushing Street, High/Free/Main, and Gardner Street intersections were all part of a study more than 15 years ago to determine whether to make any safety improvements at these locations. The end result was the installation of a traffic light at High/Free/Main after much discussion and controversy.
Most of the recommendations explained by Frey relate to proposed conceptual designs to improve safety at targeted Hingham intersections identified under the Boston Region Vision Zero Action program of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), with potential funding through the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program.
Safety audits completed
The town recently partnered with MPO to complete safety audits at three intersections and along one corridor – at French, Ward and High streets; Cushing, Main and South Pleasant streets; North Street, Main Street, and Fearing Road near the post office; and along the Main Street corridor from North Street to Garrison Road.
The resulting recommendations include possible short-term and long-term solutions, depending on the project.
The Vision Zero Action Plan was endorsed by the MPO earlier this year and serves as a road map for the 97 communities in the region to work together to reach the MPO’s commitment to eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes from local roadways.
Vision Zero is based on the premise that traffic deaths are preventable, not inevitable, and that “saving lives is NOT EXPENSIVE.”
High Street speed limit reduced near French/Ward intersection
Following Frey’s presentation, the board approved reducing the speed limit from 30 to 25 m.p.h. on High Street – from ¼ mile west of the French/Ward intersection in the eastbound direction of travel – and on High Street from ¼ mile east of the French/Ward intersection in the westbound direction of travel – and accompanying signage – with further permanent improvements under consideration, according to Frey.
Board member Julie Strehle noted that she witnessed “a serious accident” at this intersection on Aug. 24.
“It’s incumbent on our police officers to enforce the [reduction in the speed limit],” Frey said.
Another proposal, which will involve seeking input from downtown merchants – including the Hingham Downtown Association — residents, and other interested parties before possibly proceeding, relates to the implementation on a temporary basis, through a pilot program, of a four-way stop at the intersection of North/Main/Fearing.
“The decision whether to move forward with this change will be based on that feedback,” Frey said.
If the pilot program moves forward, message boards in the downtown area would notify motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians of the impending traffic control change, the date, and a reference to the town website for more information, Frey said. The ultimate decision of whether to make this a permanent change would be decided after gauging the success of this temporary measure if implemented.
Input sought on Cushing Street intersection proposal
With regard to the Cushing Street intersection, the select board – while acknowledging that it’s a “difficult” location – put off taking a vote until the proposal is socialized among abutters and the community at large and until they can gauge the success of the soon-to-be implemented roundabout in Hingham Centre.
Regarding that roundabout, Frey said the town received the signed contract from the state and can now “move forward with the project. We’re preparing a [state] Chapter 90 [local road/transportation] funding request to supplement the [already in place] Complete Streets grant funding” to cover additional costs, such as police details. “The engineering documents will take about 4 to 6 weeks to complete, then the project will go out to bid.”
Main Street resident Geoffrey Emerson – whose property abuts the Cushing Street intersection, expressed “real concerns” about a potential roundabout at that location – stating that he thinks a traffic signal is a better option.
His concerns related to a roundabout include “noise, pollution, dust, and dirt and the health of my family,” also noting that installation of a traffic signal would not require a change in the footprint of any of the streets that are part of that intersection.
“I am asking for traffic lights to be put on the table for this intersection as an option to a roundabout,” he said. “They would be the better choice.”
In response, Frey explained that traffic lights don’t fit into the Vision Zero program. “A roundabout would provide efficiency and pedestrian safety over a traffic signal,” he said.