Toddy Hill Road area residents upset by speeding motorists who drive recklessly along that street which links Sandy Hook to Botsford have told Police Commission members they want heightened traffic enforcement in their area.The Newtown Bee's Police Reports of April 22-May 2, 2017 has details about that accident.)Response To Problem

early on the morning of May 2 to illustrate their public safety concerns.

About a dozen Toddy Hill Road area residents attended an emotional May 2 Police Commission meeting to press their case. Those residents pointed to a one-car accident that occurred on Toddy Hill Road, near Clearview Drive,

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Peter Sepe of 83 Toddy Hill Road, who has lived there for 26 years, described in detail the "ever-increasing traffic problems on Toddy Hill Road." Mr Sepe said the street has become "a major cut-through" for drivers. Those motorists use it as a route linking Exit 11 of Interstate 84 to South Main Street (Route 25) in Botsford.

Mr Sepe listed speeding, aggressive driving, and illegal passing as major problems along the street, which has long straightaways. It is not safe to walk along the street, he said. There are no sidewalks in that area.

"It's really got us on edge," Mr Sepe said of the residents' fears resulting from reckless driving on the street. He read a number of letters from residents upset by the dangerous conditions.

It has become difficult for residents to exit their Toddy Hill Road driveways due to speeding traffic on the road, he said. The area has a 30-mph speed limit that is often violated, he said.

Suggestions by concerned residents on improving traffic conditions included installing more and better traffic signs, creating grooved pavement, and installing speed tables to deter speeding.

Martin Schertzer of 24 Clearview Drive, a Botsford volunteer firefighter, asked that no speed tables be installed, noting that the devices create problems for traveling fire trucks. He noted that the road has few "speed limit" signs. He added that the street does not have any area where vehicular passing is allowed.

In response, Police Chief James Viadero said he will have the police department's traffic unit review existing traffic signs posted on Toddy Hill Road.

"We'll make a concerted effort to go out there and enforce" the traffic laws, Chief Viadero said.

If possible, residents should provide police with marker plate numbers of vehicles that have violated traffic laws, he said. Police would then visit the homes of those violators to explain the law to them, he said.

One Toddy Hill Road woman told commission members that conditions have become so dangerous on the street that she has trouble retrieving the mail from her curbside mailbox.

"It's a situation that's gotten worse over the years," said Judy Matos of 2 Clearview Drive, who has lived there for 33 years. "It's getting really bad... I hope there's some solution," she said.

Dan Wiedemann of 13 Clearview Drive said that Toddy Hill Road is scheduled to soon be repaved, terming that situation both "good" and "bad." It is good because the road will have a smooth new surface, but bad because it will result in higher speeds on the street, he said.

Thomas Mapes of 82 Toddy Hill Road said, "Sometimes it seems like a drag strip for motorcycles." He added that illegal unregistered all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes use the street.

Bill Duffy of Pilgrim Lane called for a greater police presence along the road to enforce traffic laws, as well as the installation of traffic signage in the area.

Police Commission member Brian Budd said that despite the high number traffic stops made by police throughout town, motorists still violate the traffic laws. Town police will be asked to heighten their enforcement in the Toddy Hill Road area, he said.

Laurie Mapes of 82 Toddy Hill Road said that speeding is not the only traffic problem on Toddy Hill Road, adding that reckless driving, drag racing, and illegal passing also are problems.

Traffic enforcement will be heightened, said Police Commission Chairman Joel Faxon.

After the May 2 meeting, Mr Faxon said the police department's traffic unit will inspect Toddy Hill Road, checking on existing traffic signs, as well as road conditions. Added signs would be installed as needed, he said.

A traffic study focusing on vehicle speed and the number of vehicles using the road will be performed, he said. Such data would aid the Police Commission in deciding which "traffic calming" measures would work best on that street, he said.

The situation calls for more traffic enforcement, the installation of more traffic signs, and the placement of speed displays, he said. Such electronic speed displays inform motorists of their travel speed compared to the posted speed limit.