End of Summer Report
26 Bay Road — April 1 through August 18, 2026 — Summer 2026 Speed Analysis
At a Glance
270,295
Total Vehicles Counted
37,056
Over 45 mph (13.7%)
79.9
Max Speed Recorded (mph)
37.7
Avg Speed (mph) — limit is 35
Bottom line: There is no evidence that speeds have decreased over the summer. The percentage of vehicles exceeding 45 mph has remained flat or slightly increased, with the highest rates recorded in the most recent weeks.
Monthly Trend — Vehicles Over 45 mph
The share of vehicles exceeding 45 mph dropped briefly in May/June but has since climbed back above April levels. August is currently the highest month on record.
| Month | Total Vehicles | Over 45 mph | % Over 45 | Avg Speed | Max Speed |
|---|
| April | 48,688 | 7,415 | 15.2% | 38.1 mph | 76.2 mph |
| May | 59,153 | 7,125 | 12.0% | 37.7 mph | 79.9 mph |
| June | 64,544 | 8,081 | 12.5% | 37.2 mph | 78.7 mph |
| July | 62,648 | 8,884 | 14.2% | 37.7 mph | 74.3 mph |
| Aug (partial) | 35,262 | 5,551 | 15.7% | 38.1 mph | 79.0 mph |
Where Are People Driving?
Most traffic clusters between 30–45 mph. The speeding population sits consistently in the 45–50 band — not the extreme end, but well above the limit.
- 31.9% travel below 35 mph (86,280 vehicles)
- 30.6% travel 35–40 mph (82,645 vehicles)
- 23.8% travel 40–45 mph (64,275 vehicles)
- 10.1% travel 45–50 mph (27,330 vehicles) — the largest speeding band
- 2.8% travel 50–55 mph (7,560 vehicles)
- 0.8% travel 55+ mph (2,166 vehicles) — over 20 mph over the limit
All six bins account for 100.0% of recorded traffic (39 readings above 80 mph are excluded as outliers). 13.7% of all vehicles exceed 45 mph.
Direction Matters
Traffic heading into town (L2R) speeds at a higher rate than traffic coming from I-295 (R2L). The 4-way stop installed July 28 sits on the R2L side, ~1/4 mile past the camera.
| Direction | Total Vehicles | Over 45 mph | % Over 45 |
|---|
| L2R (toward town / stop) | 133,009 | 20,461 | 15.4% |
| R2L (from I-295 / past stop) | 137,286 | 16,595 | 12.1% |
Despite the 4-way stop being on the R2L side, R2L speeding rates have remained lower than L2R all summer. The stop has not produced a measurable reduction in either direction.
When Do Speeders Drive?
The 4–5 PM hour dominates the worst-time lists across every month. It is consistently the single worst hour for speeding volume.
All 5 of the worst hours in the last 2 weeks fall between 3 PM and 5 PM on weekdays — the after-school / after-work commute window.
Did the 4-Way Stop Help? (Installed July 28)
Comparing pre-stop and post-stop periods:
| Jul 1–15 (pre-stop) | Jul 16–31 (stop Jul 28) | Aug (post-stop) |
|---|
| Overall over-45% | 14.1% | 14.3% | 15.7% |
| R2L over-45% | 10.4% | 11.6% | 12.6% |
| L2R over-45% | 18.0% | 17.1% | 19.0% |
August data (first 18 days post-stop): 15.7% over-45 — higher than any full month prior. Both directions show increases since the stop was installed. The stop has not produced a visible reduction in speeding rates.
What the data does show: The increase is concentrated in the 45–50 mph bin. The 55+ and 60+ bins have barely moved — meaning people aren't driving faster, they're just not slowing down. This is consistent with post-stop acceleration past the camera, not free-flow speeding.
Summary
- Speeds have not decreased. The over-45% rate in August (15.7%) is the highest of any month, exceeding April's baseline (15.2%).
- The average speed is consistently ~38 mph in a 35 mph zone — people are driving 3 mph over the limit on average, every month, all summer.
- The 4-way stop (Jul 28) has not reduced speeding. Post-stop August is the worst month on record. The modest increase in the 45-50 mph band is consistent with vehicles accelerating past the camera after stopping.
- The worst times are 3–5 PM on weekdays — this pattern is consistent across all five months of data.
- Traffic heading into town (L2R) speeds more (15.4%) than traffic from I-295 (12.1%), and the gap has widened over the summer.
- Extreme speeds persist. 79.9 mph max recorded; 2,166 vehicles at 55+ mph (0.8% of all traffic). These aren't outliers — they're a recurring pattern.
Data source: slowdownbowdoinham.com speed camera, 26 Bay Road, 35 mph zone. 270,295 vehicles counted April 1 – August 18, 2026 (snapshot 16:58 EDT).