Photo: Genevieve Reilly / Hearst Connecticut Media

A group of teens walks down South Benson Road, headed to Jennings Beach. Some residents of the area would like to see a center traffic island installed to slow down motorists. Fairfield,Ct. 6/21/17

A group of teens walks down South Benson Road, headed to Jennings Beach. Some residents of the area would like to see a center traffic island installed to slow down motorists. Fairfield,Ct. 6/21/17

The Police Commission has turned down a request from some residents to remove the island on Beach Road, and install a crosswalk at Judson and East Paulding. Fairfield,CT. 6/21/17

The Police Commission has turned down a request from some residents to remove the island on Beach Road, and install a crosswalk at Judson and East Paulding. Fairfield,CT. 6/21/17

A tale of two (traffic) islands: Remove on Beach Road, add on South Benson?

FAIRFIELD Islands are a hot topic for some local residents, but they arent talking about the tropical ones, where one might book a vacation getaway.

These islands are traffic islands, surrounded by asphalt. One group of beach area residents were hoping to get the island on Beach Road removed, while a block over, residents want an island installed on South Benson Road.

For both groups, safety pedestrian and vehicular was cited as the reason.

The Police Commission has denied the Beach Road request but is waiting on more information on South Benson Road.

Both roads lead to the beach and are considered main arteries, marked with double, yellow center lines and with sidewalks on both sides.

Gateway to Jennings

Ive been here five years, said South Benson resident Sara Ferrizz. I have two small children. South Benson is a very, densely-populated residential area and a thoroughfare to Jennings Beach.

Ferrizz said people are speeding down the road and habitually ignore the stop sign at the Riverside Drive intersection. The last four years, there have been three accidents.

According to Lt. Robert Kalamaras, a speed survey conducted by the department showed the average speed for northbound traffic is 29 mph, while the average speed of vehicles traveling toward the beach is 28 mph. The posted speed limit is 25 mph.

But Deputy Chief Chris Lyddy said while those numbers are accurate, they dont always paint a full picture. For example, he said, during the survey, 157 cars were traveling between 45 to 49 mph.

The average driver is traveling safely, Lyddy said, but added there are some outlier speeds, coupled with the only access to Jennings Beach, a very popular beach in town, especially with families.

South Benson resident Joe Garin said he moved his family to the neighborhood eight years ago. One of the things that attracted me and my family to Fairfield was Jennings Beach. It was a family-oriented area.

Now, Garin, who at times choked back tears while pleading the case for a traffic island, said its all changed.

Now, its the most congested beach, he said. Because of the speeding cars, Garin added, he cant let his children play in the front yard.

Since Superstorm Sandy hit in the fall of 2012, Jennings Beach had taken on some of the beach goers who typically used Penfield Beach. The Penfield Pavilion just reopened this season, meaning there are once again permanent restrooms and a permanent snack bar. The parking lot at Penfield is once again open as well.

Jennings not only has the largest expanse of beach, it also has the largest parking lot. Across the parking lot from the beach is the popular Sandcastle Playground.

While the Parks and Recreation Department does not have counts of the total number of cars coming to the beach, it does keep track of the number of daily parking permits sold. In 2013, Jennings hit a high of 12,595 daily passes. That number in 2014 was 5,617, and in 2015, 6,550 daily passes were sold. For last year, the number was 6,767.

Im scared. I have three very young children, Garin said. Speeding folks, loud mufflers, accidents Im scared for my kids safety.

I want my kids to walk to Jennings, walk to the sandcastle, walk to Sherman, he said. I think the island is a great idea. This is a major issue. Put yourselves in our shoes.

Police Commissioner Arthur Hersh is adamant against the installation of a traffic island. Lets forget the money aspect, I dont think its big enough to take an island. I believe it will do more harm than good, he said.

William Hurley, an engineer with the town, said the road is wide enough to construct a 5-foot-wide, 15-foot-long center island, though that would mean on-street parking would be eliminated.

I would suggest we do a pseudo island with cones or some other material, Hurley said, so everyone could see what the island would look like, and to allow the Fire Department to conduct tests to ensure there is enough room for emergency vehicles.

Public Works Superintendent Scott Bartlett said traffic islands also interfere with snow removal and cause more icing on the road. The cost to install an island on South Benson is about $1,000, Bartlett said, but that does not include labor costs.

Hersh said hes seen firsthand the reason why the crowds at town beaches are growing.

People are coming in from out of town, he said, with carloads dropped off and cars parked at the Bobs Shopping Center on the Post Road. So you have a big increase of traffic on the weekend, Hersh said. Thats where its coming from. Its not from our community, its out-of-towners coming, and I saw it firsthand.

Ferrizz also placed the blame on non-town residents.

It is the out-of-towners, Ferrizz said. Its also the Fairfield (Universtiy) college students. Its people who live in the neighborhood. Ive seen everybody do it. When they go by, it feels like were on the highway. We see havoc on the street everyday.

Any vehicle without a parking sticker is charged $25 to park at Jennings and Penfield beaches on weekdays, and $50 on weekends and holidays. There are no restrictions on anyone walking, or riding a bike, to any of the towns shoreline beaches.

On Tuesday, during the first week of summer vacation for Fairfields public schools, traffic on South Benson was not overwhelming. While there was a relatively steady stream of cars, there were long stretches with no traffic at all.

According to traffic counts from the Police Department, from June 6-8, 2014, there were 1,673 vehicles traveling north on South Benson, and 2,015 traveling southbound on the street.

From June 8-14, 2017, a seven-day period, traffic counts showed 2,181 vehicles northbound and 2,049 southbound.

School zone safety

A block over, on Beach Road, some neighbors were hoping to see the center island near the entrance to the Old Burying Ground removed.

Representative Town Meeting member Jill Vergara, D-7, who lives on the Old Post Road, spearheaded the request for the islands removal, in order to have a crosswalk installed at Judson Road, near the driveway into Sherman School. There is a crosswalk about a block south on Fern Street, that comes with a crossing guard during the school year.

Even if we teach our kids not to cross (at Judson), when they get in the fourth or fifth grade, its hard for kids to come out of school and not go home the most direct route, Vergara said.

But, because of poor sight lines, a crosswalk could not be installed unless the island is removed.

Its nearly impossible to see theres a street or a school there, said Vergara. When I first moved in, I had no idea there was a school there. I know its a really extreme measure, but we have to try and do something.

Ive been on the commission for over nine years, Hersh said. Weve been out to this intersection on two different occasions. If we decide to take out the island, wed have to remove very large, mature trees. And its going to become a drag strip. Youre going to have one straight away.

Turney Road resident Sarah Nuland said shes live here since 2005 and questioned why Beach Road, without an island, would be any different than Rowland or Penfield roads, which she said are straight, and flat, and go right to the beach.

Its a pedestrian paradise in the beach area, Nuland said. Thats why we moved here.

Sherman School Principal Eileen Roxbee also urged the commission to take some action.

That is a blind corner, she said. My big concern, obviously, is for the safety of the children. At least a stop sign at the Fairfield Museum would slow down traffic.

There is a stop sign northbound on Beach at Sunnieholme Drive, across from the entrance to the Fairfield Museum and History Center, but no stop sign southbound. The island itself creates a curve in the road southbound.

Beach Road resident Ken Murphy does not want to see the island removed.

The current curving design around the island works to slow down fast moving cars, Murphy said. Eliminating the island would create a drag strip, with cars screeching to a stop at Judson.

Murphy said the island, with majestic trees, is part of the unique character and beauty of Fairfield and should be protected. It is the only road in this area with this feature, he said. It would be a flagrant misuse of town funds at this time.

He did say, however, he would support a stop sign at the museum driveway, mores signs, and tree and bush trimming to improve sight lines.

To get rid of the Beach Road island would be more costly than adding one a block over on South Benson, Bartlett said, carrying a price tag of about $50,00, which includes removing the island, two oak trees, three cherry trees, 7.412-square-feet of grass, and paving the road.

He said the tree warden would also have to approve the tree removal.

During the school year, parents waiting to pick up or drop off students, line up along Beach Road, waiting to turn into the school driveway. The commission voiced its support of a plan to carve out a pick-up and drop-off lane into school property on Fern Street. Currently the school buses use Fern Street to drop off students.

Hurley said the town did traffic counts at the museum driveway last year. There are pros and cons, he said. It does slow down traffic for about 200 feet, then they speed up. Its not always a cure-all. Were looking at different options.

The commission also agreed to install some school zone signs southbound and improve the existing northbound markings.

Im ecstatic with the school zone sign on Beach Road, Vergara said, but added that signs are likely needed throughout the neighborhoods all around the school. Sherman is surrounded by residential areas. We have kids coming from all four corners of the school. I dont think approving one sign on Beach Road helps everyone.

greilly@ctpost.com; @GreillyPost

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A tale of two (traffic) islands: Remove on Beach Road, add on South Benson? - Fairfield Citizen