Safety Issues—

Fairfield Hills Traffic Study Planned

By Andrew Gorosko

In response to a complaint about unsafe traffic conditions at the town-owned Fairfield Hills core campus, the police department will study traffic flow there to learn what “traffic calming” measures could be taken to improve pedestrian and traffic safety.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe told Police Commission members on April 3 that traffic calming at Fairfield Hills would be simpler to achieve than elsewhere in town because the campus is town-owned. The Police Commission is the local traffic authority.

Fairfield Hills has a 15-mile-per-hour speed limit, but motorists often are seen traveling much faster than that and sometimes violating the many stop signs posted on the premises.

Police Captain Joe Rios noted that although there are sidewalks at Fairfield Hills, some pedestrians there tend to walk on the streets.

Because there is perpendicular parking along three sides of the Newtown Municipal Center there, the perpendicularly parked vehicles pose some visibility issues involving pedestrians seeking to cross the streets, he said.

Also, there are speeding issues at Fairfield Hills, he said.

Motorists drive fast at Fairfield Hills, said Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico.

Police have enforced the traffic laws at Fairfield Hills and have used their large electronic speed display there, said Chief Kehoe.

However, motorists sometimes do not stop for stop signs and can be discourteous while driving, he said.

The traffic study to be performed by the police department’s traffic enforcement unit will develop a series of recommendations for traffic claming, he said.

The installation of crosswalks and the placement of speed bumps might be among such recommendations.