The West Hartford Police have obtained several grants to fund extra patrols targeting DUI and distracted driving, and town leaders are also focused on safety and ‘Complete Streets.’

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police officers have had a more visible presence on the streets of town, with extra patrols focused on DUI offenses as well as distracted driving.

Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Enhanced enforcement of distracted driving began on Sept. 3, funded by a $18,525 grant from the Federal Highway Safety Program, and since then there have been 547 citations handed out – 478 of those for cell phone violations, according to Capt. Jeff Rose who heads the Traffic Division.

According to Chief Tracey Gove, the efforts are not aimed at punishing offenders. “It’s about correcting driver behavior,” he said.

“With all of the development in town there are more people, more vehicles, more traffic because we’re a destination town,” Gove said. Many residents have concerns about traffic safety, but Gove said that they have looked at the records and in the past 10 years there has been a 17 percent drop in motor vehicle accidents within West Hartford, and a 28 percent drop in accidents with injuries. Much of that is due to re-engineering of intersections, addition of turn lanes and traffic calming devices, and better LED lighting, he said.

However, Gove said, the number one concern voiced by residents is drivers who speed through neighborhood streets. Speed is not the direct contributor to most of the accidents in town according to Gove – it’s DUI, aggressive driving, and distracted driving – but it’s a “quality of life issue,” he said, and will continue to be a top priority.

To combat speeding, West Hartford Police have installed new technology in their speed trailers, and invested in a new laser gun which can take video. Traffic calming devices such as bump-outs on roads such as Boulevard also help slow traffic, but many bicyclists don’t like them. “We understand the need to focus on pedestrian and bicycle safety, too. We’re trying to find that balance,” Gove said.

Police have also added patrols in the vicinity of schools to enforce pedestrian and traffic safety during drop-off and pick-up times. Since January, a Department of Transportation grant of $81,900 has funded extra patrols on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights focused on DWI enforcement.

At its last meeting, the West Hartford Town Council not only approved the appropriation of the $18,525 grant for “High Visibility Distracted Driving Enforcement,” but also unanimously adopted a resolution renewing the town’s commitment to traffic and pedestrian safety.

“This is basically 21^st century makeover of our commitment – also addressing the resurgence of bicycling not just for recreation but for transportation,” said council member Harry Captain, who chair’s the council’s Public Safety Committee and introduced the resolution. “The point is to increase our level of awareness,” he said.

Town Council Minority Leader Denise Hall agreed that enforcement is key, and people need to slow down and focus on driving. “We can’t put in speed bumps on every street,” she said. People should also think in advance that speeding or other tickets may cause insurance premiums to increase 20-25 percent or even more, Hall said.

“This council is serious about enhancing the quality of life in town and what that means is our streets need to be safe for pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists,” added council member Leon Davidoff.

The town’s commitment to traffic and pedestrian safety will include expanded public information, awareness and education through various outlets as well as expanded police response to “impaired, distracted and aggressive driving,” and continued commitment to “engineered solutions for accident reduction, traffic calming and pedestrian and bicycle safety.”

At the Sept. 23 meeting, the Town Council will vote to adopt a resolution directing the Town Manager to prepare a policy on “Complete Streets,” that are designed to be “safe, comfortable, and convenient for all users.” If the resolution passes, the Town Manager will work with to develop that policy to address factors including “trees and landscaping, bicycle lanes, shared use paths, crosswalks, traffic calming devices, distinctive signage, public art and varied surface treatments, all of which incorporate best management practices of sustainable infrastructure.”