MONROE, CT — A project to install lights at crosswalks on Pepper Street and Cutlers Farm Road got underway this week to improve safety along that portion of the Housatonic Valley Rail Trail. It is completely funded by Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program grant money.
“I’m very happy to see the lights coming in at the crosswalks,” First Selectman Terry Rooney said during an interview in his office Wednesday. “It could be a dangerous situation early in the morning or at dusk.”
“It’s fantastic,” Public Works Director Christopher Nowacki said, adding how a resident recently asked about installing lights there. “The DOT recognized a need for pedestrian and bicycle improvements.”
The planning of the project began under former first selectman Ken Kellogg, before Rooney’s office worked on final changes to start construction.
New traffic signs
Rooney said drivers should expect to see Connecticut Department of Transportation crews changing traffic signs throughout the town.
Nowacki said the upgrading of speed limit, stop signs and other traffic signs will paid for by the DOT.
“CTDOT is replacing signs throughout the state when they reach the end of their useful life to meet the current federal standards,” Eva Zymaris, a spokesperson for the DOT, said Friday. “That includes retroreflectivity, which helps improve nighttime visibility by making the signs easier to see and read.”
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As a frequent runner on the trails in Monroe I thank the town for addressing the signage in the Pepper St/Cutlers Farm area. I’ve never felt threatened crossing the roads in the area, but I frequently see drivers hesitate and unsure if they should stop or proceed. Everyone driving or using the trails in that area should feel a bit safer with the new signage.