Date: Fri 04-Dec-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-traffic-Connor

Full Text:

Police Commission Balks At Main St Parking Ban

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Police Commission members have again turned down the first selectman's request

that parallel parking be prohibited along the east side of Main Street

opposite Edmond Town Hall to improve pedestrian safety.

In a November 30 memorandum to commission members, First Selectman Herbert

Rosenthal thanked agency members for recently placing warning barrels and

signs on Main Street, Queen Street and Church Hill Road to alert motorists

that pedestrians have the right of way in crosswalks. "It appears that

motorists are slowing a little and driving with more caution," he wrote.

"However, a serious problem still remains in front of the Town Hall," he

added.

Mr Rosenthal had requested that police install ~~'No Parking' signs on the

east side of Main Street from East Street northward to a point just north of

the northern driveway of Edmond Town Hall.

"From the window next to my desk, I observe numerous near misses every day as

people cross Main Street and walk between the parked cars to visit Town Hall

offices. It is even worse from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm on movie nights when people

cross the street from their parked cars and not only have to avoid cars

passing on Main Street, but also have (to avoid) cars pulling in and backing

out of parking spaces in front of town hall as people arrive for the movies or

just drop someone off," the first selectman wrote.

Noting that the Police Commission in early November didn't back his proposal

to eliminate parking along the section of Main Street, the first selectman

asked the commission to reconsider its decision.

"I respectfully request that you reconsider your decision and strongly urge

you to act affirmatively," he wrote.

Commission members Tuesday, however, took a different view.

Commission Chairman Robert Connor, Jr, said that even if parking is prohibited

along the road section, people will still cross the street there.

Eliminating parking there could adversely affect local business, said

commission member William Meyer.

But member Charles Pilchard endorsed a parking prohibition.

Prohibiting parking along that section of street could result in people

crossing Main Street farther north, in an area that's especially hazardous at

night, Mr Connor pointed out.

A motion to prohibit parking failed to pass.

The town placed the crosswalk warning barrels on major streets in the borough

recently after a local man was killed while crossing Main Street in front of

Edmond Town Hall.

Wolcott Toll, 78, of 4 Pocono Road, Hawleyville, was struck by a car while

walking across Main Street at about 9:10 pm October 15. Police have said Mr

Toll was not in the crosswalk while crossing the street. Mr Toll received

extensive injuries and died the next morning in Danbury Hospital. The accident

is under investigation.

Other Recommendations

Beyond his parking prohibition recommendation, Mr Rosenthal urged Police

Commission members to study having the crosswalk now at Edmond Town Hall moved

farther south on Main Street to the area between Newtown General Store and

Newtown Savings Bank to serve pedestrians using the town hall, store and bank.

An existing street light there would illuminate a relocated crosswalk, he

wrote.

Mr Rosenthal also suggested installation of a pedestrian-activated traffic

signal on Main Street to allow pedestrians to stop traffic to cross the

street.

The Police Commission took no action on these suggestions.