A small group of Queen Street residents attended a Police Commission session this week to thank that agency, which serves as the local traffic authority, for having had five permanent speed tables installed on the southern section of the mile-long street that links Church Hill Road to Mile Hill Road.

The town recently installed two new speed tables on Queen Street, bringing to five the number of such speed-calming devices on the north-south road. The town installed the initial three speed tables late last year.

Construction of the five permanent speed tables followed tests there with temporary speed tables to gauge the devices’ effects on the area.

Queen Street area residents have long complained to the Police Commission about speeding motorists on that road, posing hazards to pedestrians. The speed limit there is 25 mph.

Lisa Floros of 32 Queen Street said she has been pursuing traffic safety measures for Queen Street for more than 15 years.

Although speed tables are not attractive, they have been effective in terms of reducing travels speeds on the southern section of the road, which has no sidewalks, she said.

Traffic now moves more slowly there, she stressed.

Ms Floros added, however, that some drivers upset by the presence of speed tables honk their horns as they drive over the asphalt devices.

Ms Floros urged Police Commission members to better communicate the commission’s views on speed tables, to publicly discuss “traffic calming” measures, and to generally provide public leadership on such issues.

Jill Beaudry of 36 Queen Street said that initially she did not want speed tables installed on Queen Street, but then decided that placing such devices on the street was worth trying.

The speed tables have proved to be successful in holding down travel speeds, she said.

Ms Beaudry noted that Queen Street children walk along that street, adding that there have been pedestrian accidents there in which children have been injured by vehicles.

She said she lives on a section of the street that lies between two speed tables. She said that the noise created by disgruntled motorists who honk their horns while traveling through the area is “ridiculous.”

Children are “stressed” by the sound of such honking horns, she said. “It’s shame,” she said.

John Boccuzzi of 61 Queen Street said that speed tables are effective devices for speed control. “It’s made huge difference on the street,” he said.

Some people appear to be angry about the presence of speed tables, but it is unclear why, he said.

Michael Floros of 32 Queen Street said that the devices “have tremendously slowed traffic.” He suggested the installation of sidewalks there to improve conditions.

Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico said that the current Police Commission decided to commit itself to solving Queen Street’s traffic problems, agreeing that speed table installation was the measure needed.

The honking of automotive horns does not pose a problem as serious as speeding vehicles, he observed.

Mr Mangiafico suggested that Queen Street residents obtain the marker plate numbers of motorists who honk their horns so that police can discuss the matter with such drivers.

Opponents of Queen Street speed tables have put forth false information on the costs of the devices, greatly overstating the costs involved, he said.

Police Captain Joe Rios said that if police obtain the marker plate numbers of drivers who honk their horns in protest of speed tables, police would go to those motorists’ homes to explain the need for speed tables.

“It’s unnecessary,” he said of the horn noise.

In response to complaints about traffic speeds on Queen Street, police conducted a traffic enforcement crackdown there in the winter of 2012.

During a 20-day period, police stopped 369 drivers on Queen Street for various violations. Those violations primarily involved speeding. Among those 369 motor vehicle stops, police issued three misdemeanor summonses, 166 infraction tickets, 155 written warnings, and 45 verbal warnings.