Middletown set to become first CT city approved to use red light, speed cameras

Yahoo

2 days ago

Middletown is set to become the first city in Connecticut to use automated red light and speed cameras.
The city's application to use the cameras — which has to be approved by the Connecticut Department of Transportation before a municipality can install them — received the go-ahead on May 23, paving the way for the automated enforcement to be used on three city streets, including two near schools.
'It is designed to reduce the dangerous conditions within our community overall, and at the selected locations specifically,' Erik Costa, chief of the Middletown Police Department, wrote in the application to the state. 'These dangerous conditions contribute to traffic collisions, serious injuries and deaths involving pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and vulnerable roadway users on our roads.'
Middletown is the third municipality to receive approval for use of the cameras and the first city in the state to get the green light. Town officials in Washington received approval of their application in December, and an application in Marlborough was OK'd earlier this month. According to the DOT, applications remain pending in Greenwich, Hamden, New Haven, Stamford, Stratford and Wethersfield.
The devices could be in use in Middletown as early as July. For the first 30 days, written warnings will be issued, the DOT said. After that, fines can be as high as $50 for the first offense and can jump to as much as $75 for the second and subsequent offenses.
The money that is generated must be used 'for the purposes of improving transportation mobility, investing in transportation infrastructure improvements or paying for the costs associated with the use of automated traffic enforcement safety devices,' according to the DOT.
In Middletown, the three sites where the cameras will be installed include on Route 66 between Woodgate Drive and George Street; Westfield Street between McCormick Lane and Bailey Road; and Country Club Road between Higby Road and Knox Boulevard.
The Middletown Police Department includes a two-officer Traffic Unit which is responsible for 42 miles of roads and is 'unable to address all traffic concerns,' the city's application states. 'Controlling speeds through an automated enforcement system will help address certain increased safety concerns.'
The speed limit on Route 66 is 35 mph, but police regularly report drivers going more than 70 mph, according to the application.
'Westbound vehicles are on a steep decline as they enter a densely populated area with an apartment complex and active business district,' Costa wrote. 'Additionally, the straight roadway feature entices motorists to accelerate through the area, leading to high-speed vehicles causing near miss crashes for motorists attempting to ingress and egress the residential and commercial driveways located along this path.'
A speed study conducted on Route 66 found that, on average, a little more than 30,000 vehicles use the road each day. According to city's speed camera application, a little more than 75% of motorists were found to be going more than 10 mph over the speed limit.
Westfield Street falls within a school zone near Spencer Elementary School. The road has a 20 mph speed limit and sits within a residential neighborhood.
'The sidewalks and crosswalks positioned along the roadway are regularly utilized by school children,' Costa wrote.
Westfield Street is a heavily traveled road often used by motorists accessing Route 217 and Route 66, the application states. It also sees a heavy uptick in travel during drop-off and pick-up times at the school. A speed study found that an average of about 15,443 drivers use the road each day, with just under 50% of them going more than 10 mph over the speed limit, according to Costa.
Country Club Road was chosen as one of the sites because it's a 'winding roadway with minimal shoulder space,' Costa wrote.
'The road landscape and layout make it dangerous for law enforcement to effectively enforce speed limits or conduct safe traffic stops,' Costa added.
The road is often used to get to Interstate 91 and Route 3, and by commuters traveling to and from Meriden, according to the application.
'Northwest traffic on Country Club Road leads into the mountains leading downhill and then uphill through the Higby Mountain area,' Costa wrote. 'Vehicles traveling southeast enter two consecutive blind curves that limit sightlines leading to high-speed vehicles and near miss crashes for motorists attempting to ingress and egress the many residential driveways located along this path.'
Country Club Road is also used to get to Moody Elementary School and local soccer fields.
'This speed control area is a long straightaway, flanked by s-curves on either end,' Costa states. 'High speed acceleration in this straightaway leads to safety concerns as vehicles navigate the S-curves, parks, school, and cross traffic within this area.'
A traffic study on Country Club Road found that it averages about 1,213 motorists each day, with a whopping 99% of drivers going more than 10 mph over the 25 mph speed limit, according to the city's application.