Calming Traffic On Queen Street

To the Editor:

I’m writing in support of the speed tables recently placed on Queen Street. I’m surprised and encouraged that there haven’t been a slew of letters against them. Perhaps that is a sign that the drivers of Newtown have come to accept them.

In theory you would think I would be against them. I live very close to one and regularly hear the cars slowing to traverse their bump. To me, though, this is a much better noise than what I previously heard, which was cars roaring up the road. Late at night I would also often hear cars speeding and I braced myself for the crash I was sure would happen.

But the primary reason I support the permanent installation of these minor driver-irritations is due to safety. Many people will remember that a little boy was very badly injured five years ago when hit by a car while fetching a Wiffle ball on Queen Street. He has recovered, but it was a harrowing experience him and all involved. A car was driving way too fast down this particular stretch of Queen Street and hit this little boy. The car kept going. The driver was never caught. While I find the fact that this was a “hit and run” still very upsetting, my main concern now is with other pedestrians on this road. It is important to keep in mind that this is zoned as a residential stretch. It is regularly used as a cut-through to downtown. This is fine as long as the local residents and pedestrians are respected and protected.

Finally, a plea to certain drivers. Occasionally there are some that feel the need to lay on their horn the entire time they are traveling over these aforementioned minor irritants. My advice is if you are truly that upset by the existence of the speed tables then please write a letter to the first selectmen, the police, or to this newspaper. To the best of my knowledge none of them live on Queen Street so your protest only serves to make the residents jumpy but does nothing to get your point across to those that are in a position to do anything about it.

Thank you!

Meighan Dutt

19 Borough Lane, Newtown                                              May 23, 2012