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Resident apologizes for collision and urges West Main pedestrian safety improvements
Summary
A resident who struck a pedestrian on West Main apologized at the Feb. 25 meeting and urged the council to prioritize crosswalks and street design changes; aldermen said they would look into safety concerns and a petition may follow.
Scott Peters, who said he was involved in a collision on West Main Street on Feb. 17, apologized during public comment at the Feb. 25 New Britain Common Council meeting and used his remarks to press for pedestrian-safety improvements.
Peters said the nearest crosswalk to Wakefield Court is approximately 425 feet away and described West Main as “hostile” to pedestrians because of wide lanes, long distances between crossings and insufficient traffic-calming measures. He called for raised crosswalks, street narrowing, elimination of some street parking, daylighting of intersections and stronger enforcement, and tied the concerns to a prior fatality involving Katherine Coen.
Aldermen acknowledged the safety concerns during the post–public-comment discussion; one member said they plan to draft a petition and “look into the safety concerns” and invited residents to attend the council’s upcoming budget hearing to raise infrastructure priorities.
No formal street-design action or timeline was approved at the Feb. 25 meeting; council members asked staff to review the concerns and suggested next steps, including potential petitions and discussion during the upcoming budget process.
