The Police Commission this week named two of its five members to a committee, which will meet with state Department of Transportation (DOT) officials to discuss possible physical changes at the Main Street flagpole intersection, with the goal of improved public safety at the congested junction which has a high accident rate. Public Comment

Commission members named Brian Budd and Daniel Rosenthal to the committee to informally discuss making incremental changes at the intersection where Main Street, Church Hill Road, and West Street meet.

Commission members have long discussed how to improve the problematic intersection, which has the second-highest accident rate of any location in town. Panel members opted to form the committee on March 1 after studying a detailed traffic report on the intersection which they ordered last year. The Police Commission is the local traffic authority.

Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc, of Fairfield has recommended a range of intersection changes, including installing traffic signals, altering the geometry of the junction, and modifying some traffic flow patterns.

Making any significant changes at the flagpole intersection has proven controversial among the Borough Board of Burgesses and some Main Street residents. The burgesses have expressed opposition to the traffic firm's recommendations.

The flagpole is a state-sanctioned landmark, and thus protections are in place against making changes to it. Also, the area lies within the Borough of Newtown Historic District.

The five-legged intersection of Main Street (US Route 6/State Route 25), Church Hill Road (US Route 6), and West Street has a 100-foot-tall flagpole at its center. The flagpole, which is not shielded by barriers, effectively serves as the hub of a traffic rotary. Access to the intersection is controlled by stop signs on Church Hill Road and West Street.

Police Commission Chairman Joel Faxon noted that the intersection is under state control. The state has final say on any intersection changes.

The commission would need to get state approval for any "substantive changes" made to the intersection, he said, noting that even changes such as modified paint striping to indicate approved vehicular travel areas would require state approval.

The extent of the changes needed at the flagpole intersection remains unclear, Mr Faxon said.

Police Chief James Viadero said he has contacted two DOT officials to discuss intersection issues and learned that whatever intersection changes that the commission ultimately decides are needed would only amount to a recommendation to the DOT.

Incremental improvements such as modified paint striping and the addition of curbing are the types of changes that would happen sooner than any major changes would occur, the police chief said.

During a public comment section of the March 1 Police Commission meeting, Charles Zukowski of 4 Cornfield Ridge Road noted that there are many constraints in place in terms of making physical changes at the flagpole intersection.

Mr Zukowski suggested that Police Commission members think broadly in terms of making traffic control changes elsewhere, which would then have a positive effect on flagpole intersection conditions.

He asked that the panel generally think more broadly in terms of traffic issues.

John Vouros, the proprietor of The Dana-Holcombe House at 29 Main Street, discussed flagpole intersection issues. Mr Vouros lives at that address, just southwest of the flagpole.

Mr Vouros said he has lived next to the flagpole for the last 11 years, so he is well-versed in the problems posed by the flagpole intersection.

He said that when a police officer, or even a construction worker, is present and directing traffic at the intersection, there are no traffic problems there because motorists behave courteously. The particular traffic flow problems posed by the intersection require the "human control," of a person directing traffic, Mr Vouros said.

The primary problem at the intersection involves motorists speeding southward on Main Street while driving to the right of a line of stopped southbound motorists who are waiting to make a left turn onto eastbound Church Hill Road, he said.

Pedestrians' use of the multiple crosswalks at the intersection is a hazardous proposition for walkers due to motorists speeding by and also motorists not yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, he said. State law requires motorists to yield to pedestrians who are standing in crosswalks.

"It's a serious issue," Mr Vouros said.

When a person is posted to direct traffic at the intersection, traffic slows down, he stressed.

Mr Vouros urged that money not be wasted on various "devices" recommended to better control traffic flow at the intersection.

He urged Police Commission members to try to cross the road at a crosswalk at the intersection to experience the problems faced by pedestrians. He said that, at times, he has entered a crosswalk there to stop traffic to help children cross the street.

Modifying paint striping at the intersection will not be sufficient to solve intersection problems, he said.

Of the Dere Street restaurant that is planned for 33 Main Street, just northwest of the flagpole, Mr Vouros said, "They have no parking. That's going to be a huge problem for all of us."

The planned restaurant, which has been endorsed by the Borough Zoning Commission, will have limited parking.

After the restaurant opens, traffic in the area will become worse and accidents will increase, Mr Vouros predicted.

"When the restaurant opens, that's going to be another bone of contention for all of us," he said.

William Vayan of 9 Fleetwood Drive told commission members that the posted speed limit on Main Street needs to be more highly visible to motorists.

Also, Mr Vayan said that the only solution for the flagpole intersection traffic problems is the installation of traffic signals there.

Former Police Commission chairman Paul Mangiafico of 15 Kent Road, who said he had previous travel obligations, did not attend the March 1 session, but in a February 27 letter to the agency he wrote of the flagpole intersection problem.

Mr Mangiafico wrote, in part, "The danger present has existed for decades and gets progressively worse with each passing year because of the inability of previous boards to face the reality of the situation.

"The calls from a very small, but vocal, minority that there 'is not a real problem' at the flagpole must be heard, but in the end rejected, not only because of the conclusions of various professional studies, but also because of accident data and actual experience attempting to traverse the intersection and of complaints regarding attempts to do so, especially at peak traffic hours," he added.

"We cannot and should not 'kick the can down the road' so that another few years pass and yet another board faces this issue all over again," Mr Mangiafico wrote.

"To do nothing, or something that is 'window dressing,' is not an option that your oath of office should allow to be considered," he added in urging that "significant corrective action" occur, he added.

Before his term of office expired late last year, Mr Mangiafico strongly advocated making changes at the flagpole intersection for improved public safety.