Residents Raise Driving Safety Concerns

Residents are fed up with reckless driving downtown.

Particular sore points — brought up at the Public Health and Safety Committee meeting Wednesday — are on River Road and at the intersection of Myrtle Street and Howe Avenue. But, River Road and Howe Avenue are part of State Route 110, which means the issue has to be punted up to Connecticut's Department of Transportation.

Chairman of the Public Health and Safety Committee John Papa noted that there were a total of 270 driving violations in Shelton during the months of September, October and November. "We have so many citations — speeding, cell phones. Police are doing the best they can. They are doing their job but it's overwhelming. People are just driving way too fast," he said. Papa also said the state's cell phone law is not strict enough.

Bill Berthold suggested raising fines as a deterrent.  Currently, the fine for speeding is $100 and the fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $92. Berthold said a steeper amount of $500 for speeding plus additional consequences, like points against the offender's license, would send a stronger message.

Joseph Nowaczyk, who lives at the intersection of Myrtle Street and Howe Avenue, was in attendance to vouch for the unsafe conditions. The walk from his home to his church is less than 100 feet, and even that short distance is perilous. "For me to go [to Trinity Lutheran Church] on Sunday, people are swerving around me. The bottom line is, I've been there for almost 20 year and I've seen it all," Nowaczyk said.

Street Committee Chairman Eric McPherson and Papa both echoed Nowaczyk's concerns. "I've sat there and watched myself," McPherson said. "People fly by!" Papa said he has received numerous calls and complaints.

Nowaczyk suggested putting stop signs along the road prior to the intersection, which would force drivers to slow down. Other helpful measures would be to get pedestrian signs and walkways. Police Chief Joel Hurliman said that payment for the sign would be at Shelton's expense, and "we have to make sure there's enough room for it."

In regards to signage and crosswalk issues, Hurliman said he would have to check with the state DOT to see what options Shelton has.

Also addressed at the meeting were requests for streetlights, the lack of which some residents say is dangerous at night. Berthold and Ed Kochiss both live on Angell Avenue. Berthold said a sharp curve on that road makes driving especially dangerous. He also said the darkness likely contributed to a string of robberies on his street. His neighbor had $24,000 worth of things stolen from his garage, and Kochiss had items stolen off his yard. 

Hurliman said certain criteria dictate the need for a streetlight. Normally, they are installed at sites of accidents, but there has been no such action in recent history on Angell Avenue. Unsatisfied with this response, Berthold suggested moving a light from an adjacent or nearby street closer to Angell Avenue, which United Illuminating Company would not charge the city for.

Raymond and Laura Yarish voiced similar concerns for their street. Both live on Soundridge Road, which leads to a series of dead ends. "Installing streetlights would be consistent with the lighting pattern around the neighborhood," Raymond Yarish said. He explained that drivers cannot see the "No Outlet" signs on the road, which causes unnecessary traffic.

Papa said that all residents have the option to put a pole light on their property, but Laura Yarish said this is not so simple. "What am I as a citizen able to do? How far can I go to put a light on my own property without going on the town's property?"

Papa said the matter would be considered, but "we try to come up with a rational reason for lights," such as heavy traffic or constant congestion.

The Public Health and Safety Committee meets every first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in .