Committee forms working group to study pedestrian safety zones under Connecticut's Vision Zero law

The Legislation Committee voted to create a working group to study how the city might use Connecticut's Vision Zero law to establish pedestrian safety zones that can carry lower speed limits and paired traffic-calming measures. Presenters said the working group would draft ordinance language and study implementation steps including required engineering analyses.

Caroline Tommy Smith and Alder Eli Sabin co-presented the communication and said the 2021 state law permits municipalities, via their traffic authority, to set speed limits as low as 20 mph in designated pedestrian safety zones if an engineering study and a speed-management plan support the change. "The engineering study is also supposed to include a speed management plan and recommend actions to achieve lower motor vehicle speeds," Smith said.

The working group was proposed to include representatives from the Board of Alders, engineering, transportation/traffic, police, court counsel and other departments as needed. Committee members asked whether the final decision would rest with the traffic authority or the board of alders; presenters said that is an open question the working group will explore.

City Plan Commission members provided a favorable recommendation, saying the commission viewed the issue as worth further study. Several alderpersons spoke in support on the committee floor, citing pedestrian safety near schools and community facilities. "I believe that the working committee is going to come up with some great measures so that we can keep our children safe," Alder Egan said.

The committee voted to close the public hearing on the item and then approved the motion to form the working group; the committee chair indicated the president of the board will appoint members. The committee did not adopt an ordinance at this meeting; the group is expected to return with proposed ordinance language and implementation guidance.