BERLIN, Md. - Worcester County leaders are moving closer to testing speed humps on Gum Point Road, where homeowners say speeding has been a problem for years and county officials now see the road as a strong candidate for a pilot program.
The proposal would make Gum Point Road the first test site for speed humps in Worcester County as officials look for new ways to slow drivers on residential roads.
Commissioner Ted Elder said county leaders have been discussing how to address speeding complaints on certain neighborhood roads, especially in residential areas where safety concerns are higher.
“We’ve been debating what to do with some of these,” Elder said. “We have a certain few roads in the county that have problems with speeding.”
Elder said county officials have looked at traditional speed bumps before, but concerns from the roads division about snowplows and maintenance pushed them toward a different option.
“A speed hump was a solution to that problem that would still work,” Elder said.
Unlike speed bumps, speed humps are longer and more gradual, allowing vehicles to pass more smoothly while still forcing drivers to slow down. Elder said Gum Point Road stood out because of repeated complaints and the nature of the road itself.
“It’s very residential,” he said. “It’s one way in and out.”
For Dennis Parker, who has lived on Gum Point Road since 2015, the issue is not new.
“They speed on this road. They do,” Parker said.
Parker said the concern goes beyond passenger vehicles. He pointed to trash trucks, delivery vehicles and construction traffic as some of the biggest problems on the road.
“This is a residential road,” Parker said. “And a lot of houses aren’t that far from the road.”
He said the safety concern is personal, especially with grandchildren, pets and other wildlife near the road. Parker said homeowners have been raising concerns for years and hopes the county is finally moving toward a real solution.
Another homeowner, Susan Mendoza, said the layout of the road makes speeding especially dangerous, particularly near bends and driveways where visibility can be limited.
“I think it’s a real safety issue,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza said backing out of a driveway can be difficult when drivers come quickly around the curve, adding that the road has seen more traffic in recent years as development has picked up farther down Gum Point Road.
If the pilot moves forward and proves successful, county leaders say speed humps could eventually be considered in other residential parts of Worcester County. Elder said the county’s goal is to reduce speeds without creating major maintenance or pavement issues.
“Success for this in the future is simply, people happy,” Elder said, “and no problems with the road pavement or excess of maintenance or costs.”