A plan to install stop signs for Weed Street motorists approaching the intersection at Elm is meeting with resistance from some neighborhood residents, officials said last week.
Approaching the intersection of Weed and Elm Streets while traveling north on Weed. Credit: Michael Dinan
Designed to make it safe for pedestrians using soon-to-be-striped crosswalks that will connect to a new sidewalk running up the west side of Weed Street to Irwin Park, the stop signs could back up traffic, neighbors fear, according to Tiger Mann, director of the Department of Public Works.
“The traffic would back up all the way back to Irwin, and then gum up that intersection, especially since there is another stop sign at Frogtown Road intersection,” Mann told members of the Town Council at their March 22 meeting, held at Town Hall. “So to try and stop twice in a small span of time would affect traffic flow.”
The comments came during a discussion of the DPW’s funding request for sidewalk installations and improvements for next fiscal year. The Board of Finance approved $300,000 in spending for sidewalks in fiscal year 2018, town documents show (see page 50 here). According to the DPW’s budget documents (page 60), proposed installations include a sidewalk running from the top of Elm to the entrance of Irwin, as well as extending existing sidewalks on Park Street and Richmond Hill Road.
The Board of Selectmen on March 21 had approved an approximately $125,000 contract with a Norwalk-based construction company to create the new sidewalk on Weed.
Municipal traffic officials long have envisioned stop signs as part of the project. A sidewalk now runs along the southern end of Elm Street, and officials had envisioned crossing Weed at that end, connecting with the start of a sidewalk. Originally, officials had described the new stop signs as a needed traffic-calming measure to address southbound motorists on Weed who cut the corner at Elm Street too sharply, as well as a helpful addition for Elm Street motorists seeking to turn onto Weed, where sight lines are difficult.
Ultimately, Mann said, the question of stop signs at Elm and Weed Streets will be addressed by the Police Commission. The group’s next regular meeting is scheduled for April 19.
Anything with the potential to slow traffic on busy Weed St. will be much appreciated!
Drivers coming from the north and south on Weed Street typically turn into Elm barely reducing their speed. It’s impossible for traffic exiting Elm Street without going past the Stop sign to see Weed Street traffic. We have heard many near misses – yelling and braking – and seen a couple of bad accidents. Our house is at that intersection. Fortunately there has not yet been a fatality. To put a pedestrian crossing there – without a stop sign – would be irresponsible.
The suggestion that traffic would back up to anywhere near Irwin seems ridiculous to me. I wouldn’t look forward to the extra traffic fumes but I do think stop signs would reduce speeding and improve safety
What’s the result here? It’s been two months since police commission MTg?