Easing Our Traffic Problems

To the Editor:

Everyone knows our population is growing rapidly. New homes are popping up in places no one ever thought a house would be! Additional people equal additional traffic (among other things).

Unfortunately, our town was not planned around growth of this magnitude in such a short time. The result is traffic issues that include long lines at traffic lights and speeding cars on our back roads (mainly to avoid the traffic lines). We are developing a real safety issue for motorists and pedestrians alike. It is a problem for all of us, everyday, all over town, but are speed bumps the answer?

I am no expert in road maintenance, but in a place where snow needs to be cleared quickly and efficiently, I don’t think speed bumps are practical. The key issue to me seems to be the need to create efficient corridors to move traffic through our town, eliminating the need for everyone to create his/her very own “short cut.”

There are a few things we should consider as we consider a “master plan” for our town:

—Bike lanes and pedestrian lanes. These are used quite effectively in Europe, and create a safe place to walk or ride bikes, even on some of our major back roads. (What ever happened to the bike lane that used to run along Elm Drive near Dickinson Park?)

—A continuous center turn lane (used to turn left [from either direction]) may help to ease congestion. These are used very effectively in many communities, and would only require one additional lane (verses two) on certain heavily traveled roads like Route 25. Sure we have a few small turn offs, but this could allow for turns into a variety of smaller driveways etc.

—Perhaps we need some strategic planning of roadways. Will any of the new shopping centers on Route 25 have entrances/exists to any other street than Route 25?

I am sure there are a dozen other ideas that may help, but we need some brainstorming here, and some solutions — both long and short term.

Regards,

Margaret Oliger

196 Brushy Hill Road, Newtown                           November 7, 2005