Traffic Improvements

Needed ASAP

To the Editor:

I am looking forward to the recommendations from the traffic study; however, I think there are some fairly simple things that should be done immediately regarding Main Street and the Main Street/West Street/Churchill Road intersection. They are as follows:

The police must have a visible presence near the flagpole with radar to ticket the many speeders that drive on Main Street, especially Monday through Friday during the 7–8:30 am and 5–6:30 pm commuter hours; when traffic flow increases on Main Street due to accidents on I-84 between Exits 9 and 10, the police must have a presence on Main Street to help direct traffic at the flagpole area.

For the future, but ASAP, I-84 needs to have a sign that directs any traffic other than local traffic to access I-25 South via Exit 11. I believe this would cut down on much of the Main Street traffic.

Also for the future, there needs to be a traffic light at the intersections of West and Main and Churchill and Main. Since so many people drive too fast (which could be controlled through aggressive ticketing of speeders as identified above), and since there are many people who are not considerate of others trying to make turns or get out onto Main Street, we need a traffic light. That would be a lot less costly than closing one side of West Street and taking over property by eminent domain, which I guess would be necessary!

Please, Newtown Police, have a visible, authoritative presence on Main Street in the middle of town, not by the ambulance station or Johnny Cake Lane.

Thank you,

Karen Banks

43 West Street, Newtown                                            August 30, 2006