‘It Frightens Me’: Selectmen Consider ‘Elevated’ Crosswalk Near Saxe Middle School

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Citing children’s safety concerns, town officials said last week that they’re thinking of creating a “bump” for motorists at a pedestrian crossing to Saxe Middle School.

Many Saxe students use the crosswalk near Farm Road and Village Drive to get to and from school. Yet, despite signage and striping in the roadway, drivers regularly blow through the pedestrian crosswalk, Director of Public Works Tiger Mann said during the Board of Selectmen meeting last Tuesday.

“We’ve put in flags and they have a monitor that is actually bent in the middle of the road and cars have still passed,” Mann said during the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So, we’re looking at alternative engineering measures there.”

Specifically, Mann said, “We are looking at an elevated crosswalk there.” He referred to raising the crosswalk slightly from the grade of the roadway, not creating an overhead walkway.

The discussion arose as the selectmen took up a contract to install rapid rectangular flashing beacons at another dangerous pedestrian crosswalk in New Canaan, at the entrance to Kiwanis Park. 

Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll asked whether changing the road infrastructure would help remedy the situation. 

“Is there anything about making the roads narrow?” she said.

Mann said such a solution could present a problem whereby motorists making a left into Saxe could force other drivers to jump the curb in order to get around them.

First Selectman Dionna Carlson said the town may consider giving the crossing guards who man the busy crosswalk the ability to issue tickets to drivers who are in violation.

“I don’t know,” she said, adding: “It frightens me.”