Jeffrey’s Law: A Bill to Improve Pedestrian Safety

Jeffrey’s Law:  A Bill to Improve Pedestrian Safety By State Representative Vincent J. Candelora

As the smoke clears from the latest legislative session, we are all discovering what bills passed the state House of Representatives and the Senate.  On the last day of session, hundreds of votes were taken in the chambers, sometimes at a frantic pace.  Inevitably in all of the rush, an important bill will die for failing to pass through one of the chambers, either the Senate or House.  I was pleased to see House Bill 5455, An Act Concerning The Master Transportation Plan passed both chambers and is waiting the Governor’s signature. A recent study from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign examined the safety of pedestrian walkways in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.  They ranked New Haven and New London counties as dangerous places for pedestrians.  Friends and family members of Jeffrey Peter Spencer II did not need to see the report to know there is a problem with pedestrian safety.  Last summer, after using a push to walk pedestrian traffic signal, Jeffrey Spencer was killed by a motor vehicle while crossing Route 80 in East Haven.  The crosswalk signaled for him to cross, but what he and others did not know, was the signal failed to provide sufficient time for anyone to cross the street.  It also was not coordinated with traffic lights to remain red, stopping traffic, while people crossed safely.  The Spencer family, State Senator Fasano (R-34) and I successfully advocated to have the Department of Transportation fix the crosswalk, yet clearly more needed to be done with state-wide transportation policy to ensure safety standards. When crosswalks are installed a traffic authority, which can be the Police Commission for town roads, should ensure proper crosswalk markings, test signals to provide sufficient crossing time, and ensure traffic light coordination for pedestrians to safely cross a street.  That’s exactly what House Bill 5455 bill does and why I proposed it this legislative session. The bill also gives flexibility to the traffic authority to determine if a “push to walk” pedestrian traffic signal is necessary for smaller roadways with a sufficient line of sight, slow vehicle traffic, or no vehicle congestion.  The bill specifically requires traffic authorities to consider pedestrian safety when designating crosswalks rather than only prioritizing traffic flow.  I found it astounding that on one hand, the state reconstructed Route 80 in East Haven and installed sidewalks for pedestrians’ safety; yet on the other hand, when the state created a crosswalk on the Route 80 four lane busy intersection with turning lanes, that pedestrian safety was overlooked and there was no way to safely cross.  In other words, pedestrian safety was provided for in all areas of the Route 80 reconstruction, except for where pedestrian safety is most dangerous: crossing multi-lane busy roads. Common sense should have dictated this conclusion. House Bill 5455 will go a long way in to ensure traffic authorities provide safe crosswalks in Connecticut.  It is a common sense proposal that never should have needed legislation.  Jeffrey’s parents and grandmother demonstrated great strength through this process, and I thank them for bringing the issue to the state. We hope to avoid these types of tragedies in the future and make our roads safer for residents. Vincent J. Candelora