Fairfield to Study Safety Improvements at Post Road Circle

Fairfield, CT - First Selectman Mike Tetreau announced that, thanks to a $375,000 State grant, the Town will be performing a study to explore alternatives to enhance safety for all users of the Post Road/Kings Highway Circle stretching from Shoreham Terrace to South Benson Road and including the area near McDonald’s, Stop & Shop and the Circle Diner. The goal of the study includes identifying strategies to create a safe and attractive pedestrian environment, a robust infrastructure for bicycles, buses and other vehicles, and linkages between downtown Fairfield and the neighborhoods, businesses and restaurants situated in the vicinity of the circle.

First Selectman Tetreau invites the community to take part in a Public Workshop that will be held on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at 7:00 PM at Penfield Pavilion, 323 Fairfield Beach Road. The workshop will include a brief introduction of the project followed by small group discussions of problem areas and ideas for solutions.

The public is also encouraged to participate and provide feedback throughout the study. A project team that includes several other organizations in addition to Town and State agencies has developed a survey to gather input on how users interact with the area and the types of problems that they are encountering. The survey is available at http://bit.ly/post-road-surveyPreliminary survey results will be presented at the October 24, 2019 Public Workshop.

The regional planning agency, MetroCOG, which is chaired by First Selectman Tetreau, will manage the project. Fitzgerald and Halliday, Inc. (FHI) has been selected as the lead planning consultant, and will be assisted by Tighe & Bond. The study is expected to be completed by the fall of next year. For more information about the project, including how to get more involved, please visit http://bit.ly/post-road-circle or call the Town’s Community and Economic Development department at 203-256-3120.

Background:
Currently, the Post Road area between South Benson Road and Shoreham Terrace can be extremely challenging for drivers to navigate, particularly at rush hour. Limited sidewalks and crosswalks, minimum handicap accessibility, and inadequate transit amenities leave pedestrians underserved on a four-lane roadway that sees traffic volumes in excess of 20,000 vehicles per day.

Fairfield residents have expressed concern about the Post Road /Kings Highway Circle for years. The Town had conducted a roadway safety audit along Post Road in 2016, which included representatives from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (MetroCOG) regional planning officials, municipal staff, members of Fairfield’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and local business owners. During a November 2017 Town neighborhood forum on transportation in this area, attendees expressed concerns about traffic speeds, pedestrian safety, and the need for bike routes and traffic calming measures. Further, there have been several public complaints registered with the Engineering Department and through the Town’s “Q Alert" system regarding crashes, speeding, and pedestrian safety.

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Submitted by Fairfield, CT

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