Beacon used to have speed bumps in Memorial Park on Robert Cahill Drive and on Wilkes Street (the street that runs along Memorial Park with the row of houses). The speed bumps were placed throughout the park - behind Rombout Middle School; alongside the Memorial Park hill where kids play football and softball; up in the woods where people picnic and down across from the Tot Park. The placement of the speed bumps was indicated by a yellow sign that reads “BUMP.” The speed bumps have not been placed down for a couple of years.

The street signs are still there, but the speed bumps are not. Traditionally, the speed bumps in Beacon were seasonal. The Highway Department would put them down in the Spring, and take them up in the Fall or Winter in preparation for snow plow season, as plowing over them is a nuisance.

The speed bumps kept the traffic speed on Wilkes to a slower pace. The posted speed limit on Wilkes is 15mph. On Robert Cahill Drive, the rest of the road that loops around Memorial Park, the posted speed limit is 10mph. It is unclear why these are different speeds since the road that encircles the park - no matter what it is named - is a continuous loop.

During City Council meetings in years past, when Randy Casale was mayor, the speed bumps were discussed. Randy used to be the Highway Superintendent for 16 years, and recalled the nuisance of the speed bumps and the snow plows. Some citizens wanted more speed bumps in their neighborhoods to reduce traffic on neighborhood streets, but resistance from the administration was felt, and no new speed bumps were added. The speed bumps on Wilkes Street were used as examples of speed bumps on a residential street.

Now the speed bumps on Wilkes Street and Robert Cahill Drive are gone.

Speeding down Robert Cahill Drive is a known joy riding activity. The drive is peaceful for a car ride through a park. But some cars use it to joy ride and speed up and down the hill. In the Spring, when motorcyclists are enthusiastic about firing up their bikes again, dirt bikes and mopeds can be heard ripping up and down that hill. During little kid flag football practice on the field at the base of Memorial Hill, people can watch cars often speeding up and down the hill.

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to Highway Superintendent Michael “Micky” Manzi for comment, and will update this article if a response is returned.