Residents Want Traffic Improvements In Sandy Hook Center

By Andrew Gorosko

A group of Sandy Hook residents is urging the Police Commission to work to improve travel safety at a hazardous intersection in Sandy Hook Center where four major roads converge.

Those residents, who live at Regency at Newtown, an age-restricted condominium complex off Oakview Road, told Police Commission members at a recent session that safety improvements are needed at the intersection of Washington Avenue, Riverside Road, Glen Road, and Church Hill Road.

That intersection is controlled by a set of traffic signals, but unusual road geometries, restricted motorist sight lines, and some narrow roads tend to make it a hazardous place for some traffic maneuvers required to pass through the congested area.

The condo complex residents said that traffic is especially difficult during the morning rush when they seek to make a left turn from northbound Washington Avenue onto westbound Church Hill Road. A very brief cycle on the green traffic signal, which allows traffic to flow from Washington Avenue into the intersection, and simultaneously from Glen Road into the intersection, usually results in traffic initially flowing straight from Glen Road onto Washington Avenue, thus keeping motorists on Washington Avenue from turning left onto Church Hill Road, the residents explained.

The Washington Avenue side of the intersection does not have a “protected left turn” green signal, which would allow motorists to make left turns from Washington Avenue to Church Hill Road before motorists would be allowed to enter the intersection from Glen Road on a regular green signal.

The ten residents attending the Police Commission session supported having a “protected left turn” green signal added there to make it safer to turn from Washington Avenue to Church Hill Road.

Susan Lachowicz of 22 Watkins Drive said that she travels through the intersection on a daily basis, adding that making that left turn is risky due to traffic conditions.

 Nancy Constantino of 34 Watkins Drive said that a green “protected left turn” arrow should be added to improve travel safety in that area.

Stephen Rosenblatt of 50 Watkins Drive observed, “We all seem to get stuck at the same place,” the difficulty of making that left turn from Washington Avenue onto Church Hill Road while drivers are proceeding straight from Glen Road onto Washington Avenue. The situation creates many travel delays, he said.

Anthony Onorato of 16 Watkins Drive stressed how hazardous the situation can be for drivers seeking to turn left.

Yet another Regency at Newtown resident from Watkins Drive told commission members that current conditions are dangerous, adding that a “protected left turn” signal is needed to improve traffic flow in the area.

The Regency residents told commission members that the narrowness of Washington Avenue results in traffic backing up there a  great distance due to the turning problems at the intersection.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe said police are well aware of the traffic problems at the intersection. Police have contacted the State Traffic Commission about the situation, he added.

The intersection holds a set of older traffic signals, he noted. Improving those signals is on the state’s list for making traffic signal improvements, said Chief Kehoe. But it is unclear when improvements would be made there, he added.

The intersection also has sight line problems for motorists, he said. Town officials also have sought to have road geometry improvements made at that intersection, he said.

Glen Road’s sharply-angled approach to the intersection coupled with the presence of a vegetated slope atop an adjacent retaining wall makes it difficult for motorists on Washington Avenue to see traffic approaching the intersection from Glen Road.

Also, the narrow Riverside Road approach to the intersection is angled and on a steep slope.

Chief Kehoe urged Regency residents to mail letters to State Representative Christopher Lyddy to make their traffic safety concerns known.

More Traffic

In another traffic matter, Police Commission members heard from Robert Geckle, a resident of 35 Queen Street.

Mr Geckle said that although police efforts to reduce the general speed of traffic on Queen Street has had some positive effect, more work needs to be done to reduce traffic speeds there.

Mr Geckle has spearheaded efforts among borough residents for better traffic control on the north-south Queen Street, a mile-long town road that parallels Route 25.

Also, Mr Geckle, who is the chairman of the Fairfield Hills Authority, sought and received the Police Commission’s endorsement for eliminating the former main entrance to Fairfield Hills. A new main entrance that is controlled by traffic signals lies at the intersection of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane.

The former main entrance, which has been gated shut for the past several years, approached the Fairfield Hills core campus from what is now Wasserman Way and led to the campus green which is bordered by Newtown Hall, Woodbury Hall, and Shelton House.

The Planning and Zoning Commission had earlier endorsed eliminating the former main entrance road at Fairfield Hills.

Mr Geckle told Police Commission members that the fire marshal has endorsed eliminating that roadway. Removing that road would improve parking at the core campus, he said.

Mr Geckle said the town also will need to obtain State Traffic Commission approval to eliminate the road.

Police Commission members also endorsed eliminating a crosswalk on Wasserman Way near the former main entrance to the campus.