FYI: Planned Traffic Count on Waltham Street between Crafts Street and City Line

[Julia Anne Malakie]

FYI, if you see the device pictured below strapped to a pole on Waltham St, between Crafts St and the Walthem line, and are wondering what it is, see below from Transportation Director Ned Codd.

More information about traffic at less cost than paying a consultant.

Regards

Julia Malakie

Ward 3 Councilor

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From: Ned Codd <nc...@newtonma.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 4:08:54 PM
To: Julia Malakie <jmal...@newtonma.gov>; Andrea W. Kelley <ake...@newtonma.gov>; Pamela Wright <pwr...@newtonma.gov>
Cc: Transportation Newton DPW <transpo...@newtonma.gov>
Subject: Planned Traffic Count on Waltham Street between Crafts Street and City Line

Greetings Ward Councilors-

 

I wanted to give you a heads up that the DPW Transportation Division has installed an automated traffic counting device.

 

The device looks like this:

 

 

The Transportation Division has been using these traffic counters for many years to collect traffic speed and volume counts that enable us to deliver objective and data-based project decision-making for our Traffic Calming Program, RRFB installation program, and other targeted traffic evaluation initiatives. Our use and deployment of these radar traffic counters as an in-house effort enables us to collect a great deal of very useful data, and to save many thousands of dollars annually relative to what it would cost to use outside traffic counting vendors.

 

We typically attach these counters to utility poles, and we never install them on private property. These traffic counts are generally conducted in response to requests for traffic calming, RRFBs, or other interventions from residents or elected officials.

 

Another city councilor recently received a constituent report about one of these devices, and requested that we notify ward councilors when we are installing them.

 

Please contact me with any questions.

 

Thanks.

 

Ned

 

 

 

Ned Codd, PE

Director, Transportation Division

City of Newton DPW

Phone: 617-796-1476

Email:  nc...@newtonma.gov

 

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