In response to safety concerns about motorists who turn right from South Avenue and into Morse Court—and then immediately travel in the “oncoming traffic lane” to parallel park along the curb there—public works officials will more clearly stripe the intersection.
Morse Court is not a roadway by the town’s definition, but rather an access way for the parking lot, according to Tiger Mann, assistant director of the New Canaan Department of Public Works.
This intersection of South Avenue at Morse Court (which is an access way rather than a road) will get some new directional striping and a double-yellow line so that cars pulling in from South Avenue are less likely to steer immediately to the left to parallel-park. Credit: Michael Dinan
Because Morse Court sees virtually no motor vehicle accidents, police do not target vehicles parked with their left tire to the curb, and parking officials prioritize the numbered spots over those parallel-parked, Mann said.
A resident’s safety concern about the practice came to the town’s Traffic Calming Work Group, of which Mann is a member (along with members of the police and fire department, and CERT).
Cars regularly park nose-to-nose at Morse Court in New Canaan, typically because motorists pulling off of South Avenue pull to the left to parallel-park along the row of shops. Credit: Michael Dinan
To deter motorists turning off of South Avenue onto Morse Court and then pulling to the left to park, the DPW is planning to “strip the entrance and exit lanes with directional arrows and a double yellow stripe down the middle,” Mann said.
“It may prevent cars from crossing and parking left tire to the curb, and it may not, but at least there will be some delineation as to ‘This is an exit and entrance and stay to your side,’ ” Mann said.
Here’s the area we’re talking about: