Missing Street Signs

To the Editor:

A medical emergency occurred in my household two weeks ago at 4 am that prompted a call to the 911 emergency line. Our local EMS service people responded very quickly and unfortunately got lost in our Riverside neighborhood due to the missing street signs at many intersections. Fortunately, the emergency was handled effectively when they arrived.

Having called our Highway Department at least three times over the last year and also visiting their facilities where the request for signs was made in person, I know that this is an issue they are well aware of.

As a concerned Sandy Hook citizen who knows the value of human life, why do we have to “beg” for the installation of a $40 sign or is it going to take another medical emergency and the risk of a person’s life for us to get this problem addressed.

With the continued increase in our taxes, has street signage become a victim of the budget constriction? Is this simple to solve problem systematic of what we should expect from our town administrators? What happened to take care of basics or is this reserved for the more affluent parts of Newtown?

An answer published in The Bee from a responsible public official would be a good start to explaining what Newtown intend to do about this issue.

Barry Piesner

34 Alpine Drive, Sandy Hook                                     March 19, 2003