By Gretchen Webster

WESTPORT — The second in a series of meetings on traffic, pedestrian and bicycle safety in Westport was held Thursday night with representatives from the Police, Fire, Public Works, and Planning and Zoning departments. 

Town officials were there to listen to concerns of residents in Representative Town Meeting District 4 about problems on the roads in their district. which roughly encompasses Greens Farms and Compo Beach.

The series of meetings has been organized by First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker, who made a campaign promise to help solve local traffic and safety issues by hearing input from residents in each of the town’s nine RTM districts. 

The first meeting was held for District 1 on March 17.

At Thursday’s session, Deputy Police Chief Ryan Paulsson identified two common traffic problems confronting the town. 

One is a major increase in local traffic volume since the onset of the pandemic as former rail commuters work from home, making roads busier throughout the day.

A second problem occurs when digital navigation apps direct drivers off Interstate 95 and onto town roads when slowdowns occur on the limited-access highway. 

Both of those traffic problems are hard to resolve, the deputy chief said.

But other issues cited by District 4 residents that may be easier to fix were presented to town officials, who are compiling a list of townwide concerns and will prioritize them when the series of neighborhood meetings concludes, explained Peter Ratkiewich, the director of public works, who moderated the meeting.

Top concerns

Three RTM members from District 4 attended Thursday’s meeting to present constituents’ concerns about safety in their area, particularly around Compo Beach, Hillspoint Road and Post Road intersections. 

They were particularly concerned about:

• A lack of safe pedestrian crossings at streets around the beach area.
• Problems when bicycles, pedestrian and cars share narrow roads.
• Vehicles speeding through the beach neighborhoods. 
• Post Road intersections with side streets, where they feel timing for traffic signals is too brief, not allowing enough cars to pass through, as well as pedestrian crossings that are unsafe.

RTM member Andrew Colabella praised the Police and Public Works departments for “being very responsive” to traffic issues raised in the district. 

He said sidewalks on Hillspoint Road, which he called a popular street with pedestrians, need to be extended so that pedestrians aren’t forced into travel lanes. 

He also suggested that speed bumps be added to Hales Court. Seventy percent of Hales Court residents have signed a petition asking that speed bumps be installed on their street, he said. “Speed bumps are primary to the safety of the residents there,” Colabella said.

James Bairaktaris, another RTM member, was also concerned about Hales Court, saying, “There have been a lot of near misses, especially with children” on the street. 

He asked that crosswalks be added to the road so that children would have specific places to cross instead of darting out between parked cars at different locations along the street.

He had the same suggestion for the intersection of Bridge Street, Compo Road and Greens Farm Road, saying, “There is no clear way to know when and where to cross.”

Police Staff Corporal Alan D’Mura told the 10 people attending the meeting that residents who see missing or knocked down traffic signs can call the Police Department to report the issues. They can also request traffic enforcement by police on specific streets or intersections on the town website.

Schedule for remaining meetings

The remaining neighborhood meetings on traffic and safety concerns will be held on the following Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium: 

• April 7 — District 6
• April 14 — District 7
• April 21 — District 8
• April 28 — District 9
• May 5 — District 2
• May 12 — District 3
• May 19 — District 5