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Commission hears resident say Route 53 lacks sidewalks and safe crossings for people with disabilities
Summary
A guest at the April 8 meeting told commissioners that a stretch of Route 53 on the Danbury–Bethel line has no sidewalks or crosswalks and that the bus stop sits on the far side of the road, making it unsafe for people with limited mobility. Commissioners encouraged local coalition building and said they would circulate relevant accessibility documents for the downtown revitalization project.
At the Commission for Persons with Disabilities meeting on April 8, a guest identified as Isabelle raised safety concerns about a stretch of Route 53 that forms part of the Danbury–Bethel border.
"You can't safely cross the street at any point," Isabelle said, describing a bus stop on the opposite side of the road and long sections without sidewalks. She told commissioners she had contacted state and city officials in the past and received little action.
The chair said that infrastructure changes on state roads often require coordination beyond the city and suggested building a coalition of nearby residents and stakeholders to press for change. The chair also said she would circulate materials the commission had received about accessibility requirements for a downtown revitalization project (White Street to Boughton Street) so members could identify whether proposed designs meet accessibility standards.
No formal referral or vote was taken; the commission discussed outreach and information sharing as the next steps before any formal advocacy.
The meeting lacked a full quorum at the start and adjourned after routine business.
