Safety Committee July Meeting

The Safety Committee met Monday evening and reviewed a wide range of design changes we could make to improve the pedestrian experience in our downtown.

Although I was the only member present I was joined by Council members Angie DeBernardo, Don Gutierrez, and Andrew Rockey, CAO Rob Jamieson, Chief of Police Amber Dacek, and Paul Ciupa and Aleksa Cyvas from CT Consultants (the village engineering firm).

I called this meeting to continue the work that we started at the end of 2023, when council submitted a list of Requests for CT Consultants. We asked for guidance regarding a variety of changes we could implement to make our downtown a safer and more welcoming place for pedestrians.

Paul and Aleksa shared a presentation that covered a range of options from small things like improved crosswalk striping (higher-quality material and a high-visibility design) to more significant changes like roadway reconfiguration.

Speed Limit

We could reduce the speed limit on Main Street to 20 mph from 25 mph.

Stop Bars and Signage at crosswalks

We could add signage at the crosswalk entrances, along with warning signs and stop bars 20 feet in advance. No parking would be allowed in this space, increasing visibility for both pedestrians and drivers.

Better Crosswalk Markings

We could use better materials to mark our crosswalks, either preformed (on asphalt) or epoxy (on brick or cement). These can be enhanced with reflective glass beads and may last as long at five to seven years.

We also could switch to “ladder” style crosswalk markings, which are more visible than our current zebra-stripes. These can be spaced to avoid tire paths so they stay brighter and last longer.

Crosswalk Lighting

We could add lighting from above to the crosswalks. There are some new devices available that are solar powered (don’t require an expensive electrical connection) and shine a directional spotlight on the crosswalk when activated by a user.

An image depicting a crosswalk at night. There are posts at both sides of the street with signs indicating "pedestrian" and spotlights illuminating the crosswalk.

We’ve previously discussed in-ground crosswalk lighting, but every single person we’ve talked to with actual experience installing and maintaining it does not recommend it. The technology is not durable enough and fails sooner than expected.

Curb Extensions

We could create curb extensions at intersections and mid-block crosswalks. These have many benefits including shortening the crossing distance, increasing visibility, preventing parking in the crosswalk, and providing a better location for crosswalk signage and lighting.

Keep Plaza Drive Delivery-Only

We could continue to reserve Plaza Drive (next to Yours Truly) for delivery vehicles only during business hours. We would want to pair this with improved pavement markings, signage, and enforcement.

Road Diet

We could reduce Main Street from four lanes and use the space for a wider sidewalk and/or additional parking.

Next Steps

Overall I was really happy with the range of solutions presented. I think many of these are the right changes to address the many complaints we hear about pedestrian/vehicle conflicts. We will continue to evaluate our options and work towards a vision for post-bridge-construction downtown. We’ll also be looking into available grant money to help offset the cost of any construction.