Officials last week approved a plan to push a sometimes-ignored traffic island out of the roadway at Canoe Hill and Laurel Roads, addressing a traffic problem that’s been before the town for years.
Approaching the rotary at Canoe Hill and Laurel Roads traveling north on Canoe Hill. Credit: Michael Dinan
Signs posted on the small traffic island instruct motorists to stay to the right, and those coming from Laurel Road must yield, creating a rotary. Yet as it is, motorists traveling westbound on Canoe Hill face the non-intuitive prospect of going around the traffic island, which sweeps cars slightly to the right (toward Laurel) in order to continue on that road, which then jogs left. The road also feels wide enough to motorists on that approach that it should accommodate two-way traffic on the left-hand side of the island.
By pushing the island into Laurel Road and installing a stop sign for Laurel traffic, officials hope to make Canoe Hill a true two-way street all the way through.
The plan for the traffic island at Laurel and Canoe Hill Roads.
“This is a plan we have discussed for a long time,” Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico told members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting, held Sept. 18 at department headquarters.
“We have received many many complaints about the rotary that’s at that intersection now,” he said. “People don’t adhere to it the way that they should. And it creates a dangerous situation. Because where the rotary is now, if you are on Canoe Hill, you can not go around it, and that creates a very dangerous situation and there is no stop sign on Laurel. So it creates a pretty hazardous situation.”
Options for the intersection have included making the rotary island itself larger, creating a “pear shape” out of it or pushing it in toward Laurel Road.
The Commission—Chairman Sperry DeCew, Paul Foley and Jim McLaughlin—voted 3-0 in favor of the third option, recommended by the public works director.
In addition to moving the island, DiFederico said, plans include adding new curbing “to make the turn from Canoe Hill Road onto Laurel more of a right-hand turn, rather than just a gradual zip-right-through, a 90 degree turn to slow down traffic.”
The project is to be paid for out of the approved public works budget, Commissioners said.
Has anyone considered just painting clearer lines? There’s a traffic circle at the intersection of Davenport Ridge and Newfield Avenue (Stamford) that makes very clear, by use of solid lines, how traffic should flow.
31 years going by this to get to Town — now it’s a problem
that will no doubt cost money (how much) to fix
don’t we have other things to spend money on
Agree with both comments. I go through this interaction everyday and believe all that is required to clarify the desired traffic pattern would be to paint clear lines – but leave the island where it is.
A few years ago I was called and invited to a ‘traffic calming’ meeting at the NCPD about the circle- all attendees agreed better signage would work, and it was also recommended enlarging the circle would be helpful. Nothing was ever done. Now, seemingly without additional ‘user input’ they ( 3 people) voted to push the island towards Laurel Road and place a stop rather than a current yield sign there plus add unnecessary curbing. What a waste of money. The major offenders in any direction are the Fed Ex and UPS trucks who wish to literally ‘cut corners’ and a few out of area drivers who are unfamiliar.
PLEASE DO NOT DO AS YOU ARE PROPOSING WITHOUT FURTHER USER INPUT- STOP WASTING OUR MONEY!
I agree that all we need to do is paint clearer lines like the rotary at Davenport Ridge and Newfield Avenue which I have been meaning to send pictures of to the town for a month. Perhaps we should start and not spend unnecessary money moving the island.
I’ve been tempted to go out there with a can of paint many times. I agree that better signage and arrows would be a sufficient and cheaper solution.
Something needs to be done though – just this morning I watched a landscaping truck come down Canoe Hill (westbound) and go straight through without going around the circle. Fortunately no cars (or a school bus) were headed in the other directions
well after 32 yrs of driving by this and God know how many years before me
this little island is gone — What a waste of money !!!! Maybe $100,000
it seems that the people who moved here 30 yrs ago did not need big yellow signs telling them what to do –“school bus stop” “walk way ” we seem to live in a Nanny state