Town To Ask State To Review Neck Road Intersection

In response to requests from several citizens, the town's traffic commission is going to ask the state Department of Transportation to review the intersection of Neck Road and Boston Post Road to see if it meets all the requirements of a road that empties out on to a state highway.

"We reviewed the requests from citizens and I took that information to Mike Ott, the town engineer. Mike and I both visited the location and agreed we'd like to have it reviewed by the Department of Transportation, representing the state," said Thom Cartledge, a member of the town's Board of Police Commissioners, which is the town's local traffic authority.

Cartledge said that a request is being drafted and sent to the DOT this week, asking that the east and west intersections of Neck Road with the Boston Post Road be reviewed. "We'd like a recommendation as to whether anything can be done to reduce the possibility of problems, or for them to say that both roads are cited and situated as they should be."

The intersection has been the site of several accidents over the years, including two recently that involved Colleen Alexander. Following when Alexander was hit by a truck while riding her bike, Alexander almost died. The police report from that accident has not been released. When Colleen and her husband, Sean Alexander were driving by that area several months later, where the other driver was cited, the Alexanders say.

The request for the state to review the intersection is not an indication that the town feels the intersection is or isn't dangerous, Cartledge said. Rather, following the requests from the citizens, Cartledge said he and Ott thought it made sense to find out whether the intersection meets state guidelines with regard to angles, sight lines, and road widths.

"We would like their opinion as to whether those roads meet all the requirements for roads entering and exiting on to a state highway," Cartledge said.

Cartledge said the town received four or five requests relating to the road. To make such a request for review, concerned citizens just have to send an email to Cartledge at tjcartledge@sbcglobal.net, with a copy to Madison Town Engineer Michael Ott at ottm@madisonct.org, and to the Madison Police Department Executive Assistant to the Chief Christie Hodge at hodgecs@madisonct.org.

Sean Alexander said he was glad to hear that the intersection would be reviewed. In the meantime, he said, he and his wife Colleen, who is in the midst of a long term recovery process following her accident, are trying to raise awareness about driving and bike safety. He said he and Colleen are increasingly appalled at the number of times they see near misses and stupid behavior on roadways.

"That's good, that's great," he said about the review. "But people still have to follow the rules once they are made and drive safely, whether they are in a car or on a bike. They have to drive by the rules of the road, and stop at stop lights, follow the three-foot rule, and bicyclists need to be safe as well."

A law passed in October 2008 requires Connecticut motorists "to allow at least three feet of separation when overtaking and passing cyclists. Failure to do so could cause motorists to receive a fine. Because of the large disparities in size, weight and speed between bicycles and motor vehicles, cyclists are at a tremendous disadvantage in the result of a collision with a car or truck.  This new law strives to increase motorist awareness of bicycles, and to make conditions safer by preventing collisions," according to the state DOT website.

He said he and Colleen, following the first bad accident and the second, where no one was injured, continue to see people blow through stop signs on a regular basis.

"Everybody's slowing and going," he said. "It's almost like, when someone does come to a full stop, no one knows what to do."

He said Colleen is making progress with recovery, but that it's going to be a long process. He said they hope that people on the road, after hearing their story, will evaluate their own driving habits. "People need to be more focused on driver safety. It's important that people use cautiousness and common courtesy."