Town officials are considering whether to place raised strips along the centerlines of some New Canaan roads in order to warn inattentive drivers drifting toward oncoming traffic lanes.
The state would need to sign off on a proposal from New Canaan to install “rumble strips” along specific stretches of Routes 106, 123 and 124, according to members of the Traffic Calming Work Group. The administrative team—which includes members of the Police, Public Works, Fire and Parking Departments—fields requests for traffic calming in New Canaan and makes recommendations to the town’s local traffic authority, the Police Commission.
Rumble strips derive their name from the alarming sensation of driving over them, and experts say they can reduce the number of crashes that result from motorist inattention. Local drivers are already familiar with rumble strips, which are installed along edge lines of the Merritt Parkway and Interstate 95.
Public Works Director Tiger Mann said during the group’s meeting Tuesday that he’s considered introducing rumble strips in New Canaan in the past, though they must be very strategically placed to increase motor vehicle safety while respecting nearby residents.
The moment a motorist drives over them, “it’s great because it wakes you up and keeps you in your lane,” Mann said at the meeting, held in the training room at the New Canaan Police Department.
At the same time, residents who live close to the road may be bothered by the noise, Mann said. In the past, rumble strips installed in an S-curve of lower Weed Street generated concern from some nearby residents, and had to be removed, officials said at the meeting.
Mann, noting that New Canaan has seen many car crashes along Route 123 north of Locust Avenue—a mostly straight stretch of road notorious for speeding—said installing rumble strips along the centerline up to the state line is one possibility. In addition, rumble strips may be installed in the centerlines of Route 106 east of 123, and Route 124 north of the New Canaan Historical Society campus.
The strips “might be a good idea on some of our longer stretches,” Mann said.
Mann and Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico agreed to present the idea to the Police Commission at a future meeting.
The possible locations Mann cited are all state roads, so the installation would require state approval. Even with that approval, the rumble strips would not necessarily go in quickly, as the state preferred to install them as part of resurfacing projects, he said.
And speaking of traffic issues, two more are, 1) roundabouts and 2) bike riders not obeying rules of the road.
Three times during the last month I’ve seen cars go the wrong way (or hesitate and then “jerk” forward) around the Canoe Hill roundabout. Sometimes once one driver does it, others follow.
And re bike riders, I’m a bike rider too (if a 5 mile ride once a week counts ?) and realize how a second of someone’s inattention can result in tragedy. At least half a dozen times during the last few weeks I’ve seen bike riders fly through stop signs (at Canoe Hill, Ferris Hill, Brushy Ridge, Canoe Hill onto 123, Main by Lakeview) or go the wrong way around the above-mentioned roundabout.
There’s greenery there so a little hard to see people coming the wrong way. So if I hadn’t been driving slowly (sorry, I’m old) I would have hit the pair. Their bike buddies went the correct way, so maybe they weren’t sure how to go so split the difference?
Maybe an article on bike safety and how to use roundabouts would be a good thing.
I routinely see the same problem at the Canoe Hill roundabout. The problem is worst with drivers heading west on Canoe Hill who go to the left of the island, rather than around it. As recently as Monday, I saw an out-of-town electrician’s van do that, minutes before a school bus was scheduled to pass eastbound.
I believe it’s something that can be improved cheaply, with painted arrows and lines on the road to clearly delineate that it’s a roundabout. I urge our highway department to consider this or another solution before a tragedy occurs.