From the First Selectman
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is developing plans to replace municipally owned and maintained post-mounted sheet aluminum speed limit signs on municipally owned rural roads. All existing speed limit signs along roadways included in this project will be replaced with new, retroreflective signs to ensure proper placement and compliance with current federal guidelines.
CTDOT states that the fatality rate on rural roads has increased over the past two years. Additionally, from 2020 to 2021, 19 percent of all crashes were speeding related. As such, one of the state’s safety initiatives is to replace speed limit signs on higher-risk rural roads to increase visibility, ensure compliance with standards, and assist with enforcement efforts. CTDOT will coordinate with the towns during the design phase. The design plans for this project are expected to be completed in October, with a tentative advertising date for construction of December. Eastford will be receiving 90 new speed limit/safety signs. Connecticut State Police Troop D has been contacted to request increased patrols on Eastford roads.
The Public Works Supervisor and the First Selectman attended a Safe Streets 4 All meeting to talk about dangerous intersection and roads in Eastford. The focus of this meeting was to speak about what can be done to improve roads safety in Eastford.
Eastford will be receiving two more digital signs funded by the State of Connecticut. These signs will be placed on roads to monitor speeds, to collect speeding data and to slow down drivers on our rural roads.