SPEED ENFORCEMENT — Ward 6 Councilman Enzo Fracasso discusses his request for a series of rumble strips on Bell Boulevard during Wednesday’s meeting of the Weirton Finance Committee. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Weirton Council will be asked to consider a measure aimed at reducing speed on one residential street when it meets next week.

A resolution “to install speed reduction devices in the form of rumble strips at three separate locations on Bell Boulevard,” was discussed and recommended by the city’s Finance Committee Wednesday. It will go before the full council when it meets Tuesday.

The issue went before the city’s Traffic Commission in September, with commissioners opting to have a traffic study performed before recommending any action.

“They had the speed trailer up there,” explained Ward 6 Councilman Enzo Fracasso.

The speed limit on Bell Boulevard is posted at 25 miles per hour, and according to Police Chief Charlie Kush, of the 3,436 vehicles counted during the recent speed test, 3,424 were traveling at or below the limit. He said the average travel speed through the dead-end, residential street was 15 miles per hour.

Fracasso, though, said he feels those counts were more the result of the speed trailer being on site than the natural habits of motorists.

“They see the speed trailer and they slow down,” he said.

Fracasso said he recently was speaking with a resident on the street who, he claimed, named several individuals witnessed to be speeding in the area.

The total cost for three sets of rumble strips on Bell Boulevard, according to the resolution, would be $3,486.40.

Public Works Director Allen Hess cautioned against the use of rumble strips, noting both the cost and the lack of resiliency, especially if the strips have an increased height.

“The more aggressive you are, the easier it is for the snow plow to remove them,” Hess noted, explaining rumble strips, as a result, are estimated to have a useful life of approximately two years. “I don’t think this is the answer.”

Hess also expressed concern on the potential over-reliance on rumble strips, noting Ward 1 Councilman Tim Connell had three similar requests for his ward at the September Traffic Commission meeting, and he foresees multiple requests being made throughout the city.

“Where does it stop?” he asked, suggesting it would be possible the city could find itself spending more than $100,000 each year just to maintain rumble strips.

Ward 4 Councilman George Ash, who was in attendance at Wednesday’s Finance Committee meeting, indicated he, too, would be interested in trying such a measure in areas of his ward.

“We’ve got to do something,” Fracasso responded. “Right now, this is the easiest fix.”