Town officials say they’re preparing to ask the state for additional “school zone” designations near South School, Saxe Middle School and New Canaan High School.
Under state law, fines can be doubled for motorists in areas “sufficiently close to school property as to constitute a risk to the public safety,” and such school zones can be designated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Office of State Traffic Authority or local traffic authority. In New Canaan, the local traffic authority is the Police Commission.
Asked about the status of the town’s plans, Public Works Director Tiger Mann told NewCanaanite.com that his department is “in the process of reviewing the areas and plan to bring our proposed plan to the Office of State Traffic Authority and the Police Commission shortly.” (Some New Canaan roads, such as South Avenue and Old Stamford Road, double as state routes.)
School zones are marked with signs that read “School Zone Ahead Fines Doubled” and “End School Zone,” by law.
Members of the Police Commission raised the topic at the appointed body’s Jan. 15 meeting.
According to an email obtained through a public records request, a resident of the “South of the Y” neighborhood last October urged the Police Commission to designate a school zone on Putnam Road between Surrey and Butler Roads with a posted speed of 20 mph.
The neighborhood “is sufficiently close to school property,” Anthony Vogel wrote to the Commission in an Oct. 29 email.
“Further, designating Putnam Rd a school zone would be consistent with the Town’s precedent,” Vogel added, referring to a diagram noting the approximate locations of existing school zone signage.
He continued: “The school zone signage on South Avenue appears to be approximately the same distance (or further, in some instances) from South and Saxe, as applicable, as a significant portion of Putnam Rd (between Surrey and Butler) is from Saxe.”
In making the case that there’s a risk to public safety, Vogel said the South of the Y neighborhood has “a high number of school-age children.”
“I understand bus service to Saxe is not available to much of the neighborhood, given its proximity to Saxe,” he said in the letter. “Historically, a number of homes on Putnam Rd bordering Saxe have allowed school children egress through their yards as a shortcut to and from Saxe (and South, for 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade ‘walkers’). As a result, there are a high number of school children crossing Putnam Rd each morning and afternoon. As Gerdes and Conrad have faced increased congestion issues, traffic and speed in the neighborhood has been exacerbated and some traffic has found its way to Putnam Rd with a number of drivers exceeding the posted speed limit. I understand the police department believes traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and/or stop signs to be inappropriate here. Before a school student (and/or accompanying caregiver) is struck by a motor vehicle, I implore the Commission to take action.”
It wasn’t immediately clear what the town’s timeline is for requesting the new school zones, just what residential streets would be included or whether the town’s reasoning is in line with Vogel’s. Public Works officials were not immediately available.
Thank you Mr. Vogel for your request regarding Putnam Road. Many children are walking to school in that area, and cars speed through there racing to one of the schools or the train station. There is heavy traffic and much of it is way over the speed limt – especially in the morning around 7:30.