Police Commission Considers Traffic Improvements For Town Center

By Andrew Gorosko

After listening for 150 minutes this week to residents’ concerns about traffic in the town center, the Police Commission next month plans to make some recommendations to the Board of Selectmen about what steps should be taken to better manage traffic flow in the congested area.

About 35 residents attended a June 5 Police Commission session at which a group of traffic consultants explained their 40 recommendations on better controlling traffic in the town center. Members of Stantec, Inc, formerly known as Vollmer Associates, LLP, presented the Queen Street Area Traffic Improvement Plan to the Police Commission, which serves as the local traffic authority.

At their July 10 session, Police Commission members will describe what steps should be taken to improve traffic conditions, said Police Chief Michael Kehoe.

The 29-page draft traffic plan recommends various solutions for traffic problems on Queen Street, Glover Avenue, Church Hill Road (Route 6), Main Street (Route 25), Mile Hill Road (Route 860), and Commerce Road.

David Hannon, deputy director of the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO), told Police Commission members that much of the cost of the proposed traffic changes would be covered by grant funds, provided that the town pursues the project in a “unified way,” combining the many improvements recommended by the traffic consultants. HVCEO organized the traffic study for the town.

Excluding the consultants’ proposed extension of Commerce Road to Wasserman Way to create a local north-south connector road, the estimated cost of the consultants’ proposed traffic improvements is $1.89 million, based on 2006 cost information.

Borough Warden James Gaston objected to a Stantec proposal to reconfigure the hazardous intersection of Queen Street and Glover Avenue, questioning its workability.

Stantec proposes converting the intersection from its triangular shape to a T-shape to make it safer.  

One resident urged that the town boost its police enforcement of traffic speed laws along the Queen Street corridor to better deal with traffic problems.

Chief Kehoe pointed out that police are responsible for enforcing traffic speed laws throughout town, not only on Queen Street. “We do the best we can with the resources [available] in town,” he said.

The mile-long, north-south Queen Street links Church Hill Road to Mile Hill Road. The northern section of Queen Street has commercial and school uses. The southern section is residential.

“We really have to change the culture of the community” to get motorists to comply with traffic speed laws, Chief Kehoe said. The police department is working to create its own traffic enforcement unit, he said.

Police Commission member Richard Simon endorsed the construction of speed bumps as a way to decrease motorist speeds.

Police Commission Chairman Carol Mattegat pointed out that for legal reasons the town needs an ordinance that would cover the local use of speed bumps.

In April, the Police Commission endorsed a Stantec proposal to install three speed bumps on the southern section of Queen Street to reduce vehicle speeds there. 

First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said that a lack of federal standards on speed bump design poses liability concerns for municipalities.

Borough

Mr Gaston charged that some aspects of the traffic plan violate the provisions of the borough zoning regulations. He added that he doubts that the borough’s Historic District Commission would endorse the traffic plan.

Mr Gaston said that Stantec’s proposal to redesign the Main Street flagpole intersection amounts to a “monstrosity.” He said that the presence of traffic signals there would cause congestion, including traffic backups.

Stantec proposes the flagpole intersection modifications as a safety measure and as a way to improve general traffic flow in the town center. Installing a set of traffic signals and reconfiguring traffic flow would improve the movement of traffic and pedestrians at the flagpole, according to Stantec. Entry to the intersection is now controlled by stop signs posted on Church Hill Road and on West Street.

Last December, the Borough Board of Burgesses opposed altering the Main Street flagpole intersection. The Police Commission also has opposed Stantec’s proposal for changing the flagpole intersection.

Mr Hannon observed that the traffic plan includes many controversial recommendations, adding that the plan’s provisions will not make everyone happy.

Eventually, the town will make an informed decision about what aspects of the traffic plan should be pursued, said planner John Eberle of Stantec.

Police Commission member Robert Connor, Jr, predicted that no local government agency would endorse the proposal to reconfigure the Main Street flagpole intersection.

Mr Rosenthal said the Police Commission will make some recommendations to the selectmen on which aspects of the traffic plan are worth pursuing.

The town would pursue selected traffic improvements based on the availability of grants for such work, Mr Rosenthal said.

Since 2001, Queen Street area residents often have attended Police Commission meetings in seeking to resolve their concerns about the volume, speed, and noise of traffic along that congested road. The traffic plan that was produced by Stantec stemmed from those residents’ interest in improving traffic conditions along Queen Street.