West Hartford is looking at options to make the streets safer for pedestrians and drivers. The town’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Commission will be talking about this on Monday night after the most recent pedestrian death last month, the third this year.
The town council adopted the Vision Zero action plan in an effort to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries in town by 2033.
“We've been working hard to design and implement nearly 70 projects town-wide, which are all designed to improve pedestrian, cyclist and driver safety on our streets,” Rick Ledwith, the town manager, said.
The plan is seen as more urgent than ever from some neighbors who want to see quicker action after 74-year-old Anne Rapkin was struck by a car by Sedgwick and Cornell roads on Nov. 27 and died.
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During a vigil for Rapkin, there was a call to action.
“We are trying to do this difficult job of both memorializing her while reminding the town that they have a responsibility to provide safer streets,” Mary Donegan, of West Hartford, said.
There have been three pedestrian deaths in West Hartford this year.
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That is a rise after having no road deaths last year.
In 2022, the town saw six road deaths, which included two pedestrians.
Ledwith said the deaths are tragic and crews are looking at everything to fix, whether that is improving streetlights or other ways to slow down cars.
Ledwith said the town is open to suggestions from residents, although the colder weather would hinder any major construction in the near term.
“As we head into the winter now, you know, there will only be so much we can do from a construction standpoint,” he said.
He said there will be some major developments in the works to address traffic in town next year.
“We were awarded two recent grants - one for speed-enforcement camera program and one for red-light-enforcement camera program,” Ledwith said.
The pedestrian and bicycle commission will be meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday. The town manager and engineer are expected to give updates on current road safety projects as well.
