The DPW Transportation Division is responsible for investigating resident complaints concerning the placement and/or visibility of all traffic control and parking signs. Over time, it is not uncommon for tree limbs and other shrubbery adjacent to the roadway to obscure a sign from motorist's view. The Division is also responsible for ensuring that obstructions such as vegetation or parked cars also do not interfere with the line of sight necessary to safely maneuver to and from driveways and other street intersections.

To report a sight or sign obstruction, submit a request/comment form to the DPW Transportation Division, or call the DPW Highway Division at (617) 646-2700. Reports of signs missing or knocked down should also be directed to the DPW Highway Division. By the way, it is illegal for any private party to remove any traffic or parking sign that has been placed in a specific location by the Town of Brookline. Only the DPW Highways crews are authorized to perform any sign work.

Complaints of vehicles speeding on Brookline street should be reported to the Brookline Police Department, Traffic Division, at (617) 730-2230.

Questions concerning the posted speed limit on a street should be submitted to the DPW Transportation Division using the request/comment form. The DPW Transportation Division will evaluate conditions and consider altering a speed limit if it is determined that unusual conditions on the section of street warrant it. Conditions that exist in many residential areas (e.g., large numbers of children, vehicles parked on the street, etc.) do not represent unusual conditions.

The Brookline Police Department has acquired an advanced speed monitor board. This radar equipped board measures the oncoming vehicle's speed, and flashes this speed on the illuminated board to alert motorists of their traveling speed. If you would like to have the speed monitor board placed in your neighborhood, contact the Brookline Police Department, Traffic Division, at (617) 730-2230 to discuss its availability.

The Transportation Board, DPW Transportation Division, and School Department place a high priority on the safety of pedestrian and vehicle movements in the vicinity of the Brookline schools. As the number of parents who drop off and pick up their children at our schools has increased, so has the importance of school safety. The use and maintenance of school speed zones, sidewalks and crosswalks, traffic calming devices, designated drop-off and pick-up zones, and crossing guards during school opening and closing are all intended to minimize conflicts and provide a safe environment in the vicinity of our schools. The operation and maintenance of all school zone flashers are also critical to the notification of motorists that they are entering an area where special caution is required.

If you believe that unsafe conditions exist in the vicinity of your school, please contact the principal of the school. If school officials believe the issue requires further study or action, they will notify the DPW Transportation staff.

Bicycling is an important means of transportation used by many for traveling to work or school. To provide a safe travel environment, drivers must take special care to watch out for bicycle riders, and bicyclists must obey all traffic laws by riding in a responsible manner. It’s easy to share the road when we all drive safely and are considerate of others. Here are some basic driving rules that motorists and bicyclists are encouraged to follow.

As a MOTORIST:

• Always be aware of bicyclists that may be on the road. As motorists, we must all respect the rights of other road users, including bicyclists. Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of motor vehicles. 
  
• Reduce your speed when passing bicyclists, especially if the road is narrow.
  
• Don’t blast your horn when approaching a bicyclist – you could startle them and cause an accident.
  
• When a road is too narrow for cars and bikes to ride safely side by side, bicycles will move into the center of the travel lane.
  
• Recognize obstacles that may be hazardous to bicyclist – such as potholes, debris, and drain grates – and give them adequate room to maneuver around them. 
  
• Do not pass bicyclists if oncoming traffic is near. Wait as you would with any slow-moving vehicle. Your patience could help prevent an accident.
  
• In bad weather, give bicyclists extra trailing and passing room. Also use extra caution during the morning and evening hours when bicyclists are traveling and traffic is heaviest. 
  
• Give at least 3 feet of passing room space between the right side of your vehicle and a bicyclist, just as you would with a slow-moving car.
  
• After passing a bicyclist on your right, check over your shoulder to make sure you have allowed enough room before moving over. Experienced riders often travel 25-30 mph and may be closer than you think.
  
• Do not pass bicyclists if you will be making a right turn immediately afterwards. Always assume a bicyclist is traveling through unless they signal.
  
• When turning left at an intersection always yield to oncoming bicyclists, just as your would to an oncoming motorist.
  
• Before opening your car door, always look for bicyclists that may be approaching.
  
• Children on bicyclists are unpredictable – expect the unexpected and proceed very cautiously.
  
  

As a BICYCLIST:

• Maintain and regularly inspect your bike and always wear a helmet to prevent head injury.
  
• Be visible and predictable when riding your bike. Wear bright colors, ride straight in a predicable manner, and signal before changing directions
  
• Ride with traffic. Always ride on the right side and do not pass motorists on the right. If you approach an intersection with a right turn lane and want to continue straight, ride with through traffic. When a road is too narrow to ride side by side, take the travel lane.
  
• Watch for potential hazards such as drains, potholes, train tracks, or debris. Allow time to maneuver safely around these obstacles while negotiating traffic. Avoid riding into open car doors by giving yourself 3-4 feet separation distance.
  
• Signal all turns. Look back before your make a lane change or turn, and signal well in advance of your turning movement.
  
• Make a left turn by either moving into the left travel lane (or turning lane) and turning with the traffic, or by stopping, dismounting, and walking across a crosswalk like a pedestrian.
  
• Obey all traffic laws including stops signs, traffic lights, and other traffic controls. Bicyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles.
  
• Ride in single file in traffic, except when passing others.
  
• Bicyclists must yield to pedestrians. Be courteous when approaching others by a warning sound or signal. 
  
• Many sidewalks in Brookline are too narrow to accommodate 2-way pedestrian travel and bicycle travel. Please respect the safety of pedestrians by traveling on the street, especially in the commercial districts where pedestrian travel is heaviest. 
  
  

Bicyclists are legally entitled to use the roads in Brookline, even though their slower speeds can pose problems for motorists. For more information on the legal rights and obligations of motorists, click here to go to the MassBike web site to learn more about bike laws and bicycle safety programs.