The Board of Selectmen voted to install stop signs on Cisar Road at the driveway of Wood Haven Apartments. Here is an excerpt from the Board of Selectmen meeting minutes from October 3rd.
Selectman Patton brought up the Stop signs for Cisar Road and asked First Selectman Eldredge if he talked to the Dept. of Transportation? First Selectman Eldredge commented no but he thinks this is worth trying, it is not the greatest thing but the State Police support it. We recognize it is a bad road and would like to try to do something. Selectman Patton commented that the Town Engineer was involved before with Town roads. This is a private drive. I think we should re-visit speed bumps. First Selectman Eldredge commented that he would like to try something to see if it will help. Lynn commented we are getting a lot of calls on speeding. Selectman Patton commented stop signs are not the way to go. Selectman Blessington commented that it is not the best solution. Selectman Patton commented that stop signs are for intersections to prevent accidents. If you want to slow people down you can narrow the road, you could put speed bumps on it but putting a stop sign does nothing for the underlining problem, which is inconsiderate drivers. Putting a stop sign there is going to waste gas and inconvince the people who live there hearing the cars starting and stopping. Lynn commented that the DOT said stop signs are not to be used for speed control. First Selectman Eldredge commented that he talked to the State Police and they think it is worth a try, it is not the best solution but I want to try something. Selectman Patton commented that he would like to see a recommendation from the Town Engineer that this is a good idea. First Selectman Eldredge commented that I recognize what you are saying but I still would like to do something.
What are your thoughts on whether we should be installing stop signs at that location?
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12 comments:
People speed up and down my road all the time and I don't like it. It is also hard to back out of my driveway at times. Can I have a stop sign in front of my driveway too?? Speed bumps would be a better solution. Some times there is no feasable solution to a problem, and this administration has to realize that.
You are not suppose to back out onto a road.
Here is the Chronicle article on this topic:
Selectmen try to STOP speeding
By KIMBERLY WETZEL Chronicle Staff Writer
WILLINGTON — Selectmen have voted to put a new stop sign on Cisar Road by Woodhaven Apartments to keep motorists from speeding down this residential road.
First Selectman Michael Eldredge said it’s a “ desperate measure” and he is fully aware “ it’s not the best solution,” though he’s run the idea by Connecticut state police.
“ I want to try to do something for the people,” he said. “ It’s probably not the greatest thing we can do, but it should help slow people down.”
Selectmen voted Monday night 2- 1, with Eldredge and Selectman John Blessington in favor and Selectman John Patton opposed. Patton said it is against state policy to use stop signs for speed control.
Blessington said Woodhaven Apartments, located at 80 Cisar Road, is a “ rather large” complex which “ caters mostly to UConn students.”
Blessington said a Cisar Road resident wrote a letter to the board requesting a solution to cars traveling at excessive speeds through a residential neighborhood, but the town is not sure of the best way to deal with the problem.
“ Every town has this problem,” said Blessington, who said Cisar Road in particular attracts a lot of college students. “ It’s a very common problem. People like to get where they’re going and as long as the road is paved and reasonably straight, people will travel too fast. How do you slow them down?” “ Putting a stop sign there doesn’t do anything for the underlying problem — inconsiderate college students,” said Patton.
“ The only people who are going to observe that are the people who you don’t worry about it anyway,” said Patton. “ Stop signs are just not the way to go.”
Patton said there are other ways to solve this problem, like narrowing the roads, putting in curbing, or speed humps.
And Willington Public Works Director Lynn Nicholls may know the reality of the situation too well, as the work crews try to fix roads with cars whizzing past them.
This happens, they say, despite flashing emergency lights or work zone signs alerting people to slow down.
“ They don’t stop for half the stop signs in town now,” Nicholls said. “ They don’t care. They just don’t want to slow down.”
Nicholls said she has received a letter from the state Department of Transportation warning towns not to use stop signs to control speed.
Eldredge said he had not talked with anyone from the DOT about this issue.
Nicholls is just happy the board didn’t want to put up a “ children at play” sign, since “ we don’t want to promote children playing in the street.”
When the new stop sign is set up, Eldredge said he would also like an additional warning sign alerting motorists that there is a new stop sign, especially for the people who drive the road every day.
“ It’s not the best solution,” said Blessington. “ Let’s give it a shot.”
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Although it wasnt a huge amount of money every year, wasnt there at least a small amount for speed enforcement through the State Police in the Selectmans budget? Wait...maybe this was taken out. This would be alot cheaper than the inevitable accidents that are going to occur due to this ridiculous thought.
First Selectman Michael Eldredge said it’s a “ desperate measure” and he is fully aware “ it’s not the best solution,” ... “ It’s probably not the greatest thing we can do, but it should help slow people down.”
Selectmen voted Monday night 2- 1, with Eldredge and Selectman John Blessington in favor and Selectman John Patton opposed.
...the town is not sure of the best way to deal with the problem.
....Nicholls said she has received a letter from the state Department of Transportation warning towns not to use stop signs to control speed.
Eldredge said he had not talked with anyone from the DOT about this issue.
“ It’s not the best solution,” said Blessington. “ Let’s give it a shot.”
Powered by QContent Copyright (c)2005 Willimantic Chronicle 10/07/2005
Let's see.... Eldredge and Blessington repeatedly say it is not the best solution.
Is there a plausible reason why we want to try the second- or third-best solution first???
Ha ha ha. I'm the guy speeding all over town. Try and catch me.
Actually, we are all speeders and some of us will not admit it. As long as everyone is aware that I am out there and might be coming down your road, that should suffice. Keep an eye out for me. ;Wave when I go by but not the middle finger.
Maybe we should just put speed bumps on all the roads in town and get it over with. Of course on dirt roads speed ditches would have to be used.
Stop signs or speed bumps WONT help the problem. They dont stop or slow down now with the stop sign at the intersection of 320 and Cisar.I know ive had several cars crash on my property and have seen cars FLY OUT OF WOODHAVEN without even slowing down. Speed bumps would just give them a takeoff ramp!
I was dismayed to read the first selectman's statement in the Chronicle stating he did not have any business experience. What will he do in the intermin until another business manager is hired?
Also, what engineering school did he graduate from? Political material being delivered states he is an engineer.
Traffic calming measures rarely work in a rural environment. Posting stop signs in the hope to control perceived speed problems does very little to slow down traffic, except for the approach and departure regions, which are about 100 feet. Speed bumps have a similar lack of effectiveness over any given length of road. What these measures do provide is an increase in pollution, noise, and growing comfort in ignoring traffic signs and signals. These reasons, among others, is why the National Uniform Code fo Traffic Control Devices prohibits using stop signs and other control measures intended for highway safety to be employed for traffic calming. It is simply ineffective and inappropriate. The fact that we have no effective measures does NOT justify employing them.
Random ticketing or even just having a fake cop sitting in a car would be more effective than a pointless stop sign.
Random ticketing could also be lucrative if drivers are really that crazy on Cisar Road.
I just drove down Cisar Road today and saw the brand new stop sign. Before seeing where it was, I was thinking "what's the big deal - give it a try." But seeing is believing that it's a dumb idea. It's at the beginning (or end depending on which way you go) of the road, for crying out loud! There's still plenty of road to speed down once you pass the stop sign.
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