Police Commission members are reviewing traffic data that indicates that during a six-year period, representing calendar years 2009 through 2014 inclusive, there were 94 reported traffic accidents in the area of the five-legged flagpole intersection, where Main Street, Church Hill Road, and West Street meet.

Of those 94 incidents, 17 accidents produced injuries, and 18 accidents involved vehicles colliding with the 100-foot-tall flagpole itself, which is not shielded by barriers. Two of the vehicular accidents involved pedestrians.

Among those six calendar years, the number of accidents in a given year ranged from a low of 11 accidents during 2014 to a high of 24 accidents during 2013.

The Police Commission, in its role as the local traffic authority, has been reviewing the public safety issues posed by the flagpole intersection.

The state laws which were most commonly violated when those 94 accidents occurred included: failure to grant the right of way from a stop sign, failure to drive a reasonable distance apart, failure to grant the right of way at an intersection, illegal passing on the right, making a restricted turn, and making an improper turn, according to the traffic report prepared by police patrol Officer Jason Flynn of the police department’s traffic unit.

Among those violations, the most common violations were failure to grant the right of way from a stop sign with 25 instances of that violation, and failure to drive a reasonable distance apart with 22 instances.

In 2013, the state Department of Transportation (DOT) conducted a traffic count near the flagpole intersection. That study showed that the average daily traffic flow on Main Street just north of the flagpole was 18,100 vehicles; on Main Street just south of the flagpole was 14,200 vehicles; on Church Hill Road just east of the flagpole was 9,300 vehicles, and on West Street just west of the flagpole was 1,200 vehicles.

The state has jurisdiction over Main Street and Church Hill Road, both of which are state roads. West Street is a town road.

Police Commission members discussed the flagpole intersection traffic issues at their February 3 meeting. The panel has been discussing the topic since December.

Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico pointed out that the flagpole traffic subject is a sensitive issue among local officials.

“This [issue] has some touchy aspects to it,” Mr Mangiafico noted.

But, he observed, “We have one pretty serious problem.”

Letter From Borough Officials

The chairman told commission members that he had received a letter from the Borough of Newtown on the flagpole intersection subject signed by James Gaston and Joan Crick. Mr Gaston is the borough warden and Ms Crick is the borough’s senior burgess.

In the letter, Mr Gaston and Ms Crick objected to some of Mr Mangiafico’s recent public comments on the flagpole intersection.

“The flagpole has long been both an icon and valuable asset to the town and historic homes of Main Street. It slows traffic better than ugly speed bumps and multiple carnival-like colored signs that accompany them…Statistics demonstrate there are many more roadway areas in town that present significantly more challenges than the flagpole. We encourage you to address those dangers,” Mr Gaston and Ms Crick wrote.

A past proposal to create a traffic roundabout at the flagpole intersection would result in the significant taking of adjacent private properties, Mr Gaston and Ms Crick wrote.

“The bottom line [is that] respectful driving results in safe roads, including the flagpole. Perhaps you could promote that as a public message,” they add.

Mr Mangiafico read the full text of the Gaston-Crick letter to Police Commission members at the February 3 session.

Mr Mangiafico then pointed out that there were 94 accidents at the flagpole intersection from 2009 to 2014 inclusive.

“It’s pretty awesome and dangerous in my opinion” he said of the number of accidents.

“It’s a very complicated issue without simple answers,” he said.

Nearly 35 years ago, the flagpole was designated as an official landmark by the state, subject to historic protection.

Echoing comments made by First Selectman Pat Llodra during the January 6 commission meeting, Mr Mangiafico said that if the Police Commission should decide to have the DOT review the traffic issues at the flagpole, it should seek only “recommendations” from DOT, instead of any DOT decisions on what changes should be made there.

“You take a risk by going to he state,” he said, adding, though, that traffic problems continue to worsen at the flagpole intersection.

Commission member Brian Budd said he is especially concerned about pedestrian safety at the flagpole intersection. Mr Budd said the 94 accidents that occurred there from 2009 through 2014 represent “a very high motor vehicle accident rate.”

Mr Mangiafico said, “I don’t think this commission should refrain from becoming deeply involved in this [issue] because it’s difficult.”

Some people have said that there is no traffic problem at the flagpole intersection, but that is not true, he said.

“The subject is complicated. There’s no simple solution,” he said.

 Mr Mangiafico asked that Police Chief Michael Kehoe organize a meeting at which a high-level DOT official, Chief Kehoe, Mr Mangiafico, and some other Police Commission member would frankly discuss the traffic issues posed by the flagpole intersection and possible solutions.

Public Comments

Some members of the public attended the February 3 commission meeting to offer their views on the flagpole traffic issue.

Karen Banks of West Street suggested that police be regularly posted near the flagpole intersection to monitor conditions. There have been many auto accidents there, she stressed, terming the area “extremely dangerous.”

Deborra Zukowski of 4 Cornfield Ridge Road said that installing a roundabout at the flagpole intersection would damage the historic character of the area.

Ms Zukowski suggested that traffic signals be installed at the intersection of Main Street and Currituck Road to create desirable “gaps” in the Main Street traffic flow. That intersection lies about 2,000 feet north of the flagpole.

Additionally, she suggested increasing the speed limit on Wasserman Way from 30 mph to 40 mph to have that street serve as a more efficient “bypass road” for the town center.