Unique Attempt to Slow Traffic in Portland, Maine, Neighborhood

I found this while accidentally going down the wrong street in Portland, Maine.

I often find myself heading to Forest Avenue in Portland, and driving down the length of Forest is a terrible waste of time when you can take shortcuts. One of my shortcuts is through the Woodsford neighborhood near Back Cove.

I cut through this neighborhood for a couple of reasons. One is that it's a beautiful area, and has one of my favorite views of Portland. The other is to cut out unnecessary travel on the crowded, not-as-pretty Forest Avenue. I usually take Codman Street to connect to Ocean, making my way to Forest Avenue. But I accidentally cut down Hersey Street and found myself looking at something I had never seen before.

What is this planter doing in the street in Portland, Maine?

This very pretty planter was where a car would park in front of a house. There were five of these dotting the small road on either side. They are on wheels, and really neat-looking. I imagine they go away once the weather becomes too harsh for outdoor planters. I could only think of one reason why they are on the street. It's a way to slow neighborhood traffic so that cars don't go zooming down this quiet street.

Are these planters a neighborhood idea or the city of Portland, Maine?

I don't know the answer to this. I think it's a neighborhood idea, which I love. I am always respectful when doing my cut-through, and drive very slowly in these neighborhoods. I live in a neighborhood, and hate when people speed through them.

I drove around to look for other streets with cool planters on wheels, and found none. Hey, Hersey Street residents, is this your idea? I love it!