Traffic calming has been identified by town officials as being a priority for residents, so on Monday the Legislative Council authorized Mayor Scott Jackson to spend almost $100,000 in LOCIP funds on doing just that.
The council authorized Jackson to "apply for, accept and expend funding up to $99,766 in state of Connecticut Local Capital Improvement Program funds for Traffic Calming Phase I projects."
The money will go towards what have been identified as problem areas -- specifically, areas in and around both private and public schools, as well as at Farmington Canal crosswalks.
"Improvements include additional signage, new reflective bars for increased visibility, in-street message painting, new crosswalk painting, the installation of "in-street" signs (crossing totems), the purchase and installation of permanent speed compliance units, the purchase of traffic humps/pads and other calming tools," Jackson wrote in a memo to the council.
"As traffic calming is a top priority of our residents, I urge your review and approval of this grant allocation so that we can begin implementing these safety improvements immediately," Jackson wrote.
Jackson gauged the public's interest in the project at a community forum held with state Rep. Peter Villano last spring, where "we received excellent reports and testimony from numerous civic associations and other stakeholders," he said.
Jackson said he has created a "citizen's working group" that will oversee the first phase of the project and plan for the second phase.
"Their input has been extremely valuable," Jackson said.
Phase one of the project has two parts: the School Zone and Neighborhood Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety Project, and the Farmington Canal Traffic Calming Project.
The school zone portion targets all school zones throughout the town, Jackson said, in order to curb problems with speeding in those areas using several tools including signage, street painting, speed bumps and speed compliance units.
Two permanent speed compliance units, which display the speed of passing vehicles, will be installed in the two areas identified as the most problematic: Hamden Middle School and Helen Street School, according to Jackson's chief administrative officer Curt Balzano Leng.
The units won't initially be equipped with cameras, Leng said, but eventually will.
"In Connecticut you can't enforce with cameras, but it is more of a deterrent," he said. "Whether it is a deterrent or enforceable, we are planning on putting the cameras in as soon as they arrive."
Measures will be taken at all of the town's public schools, as well as at Sacred Heart Academy on Benham Street, St. Rita's School on Gilles Road, St. Stephen's School on Ridge Road, Highville School on Leeder Hill Drive and Wintergreen Magnet on Wintergreen Avenue.
Work also will be done on several town roads where the Farmington Canal crosses, including on Brooksvale Avenue both near Brooksvale Park and by Still Hill Road, and on River Road, Shepard Avenue, Todd Street, Skiff Street, Haig Street, Treadwell and Marne streets, Alling Street, Dudley Street, Morse Street, Goodrich Street and Hamden Parks Drive.
The cost for that work is $17,869 while the work near the schools will total $81,897.
"I like the approach of working around the schools and the linear trail," said council member Kath Schomaker. "It's a hot issue that people talk to me about a lot."
"Traffic calming is a word you will be hearing a lot in 2011," Leng said. "This is going to help us get it going."
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