It’s frustrating enough to drive on the Post Road, and realize how out-of-sync the traffic lights are.
It’s even more frustrating to call Town Hall to complain, and be told: “Sorry. We can’t do anything. It’s a state road.”
Alert “06880” reader Josh Stein shares your frustration. Now he shares something else: a possible solution.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation offers an online form to report road issues.
The worst light in town? …
Some of the dropdown categories include mowing, illumination, potholes and dead animals.
But there — right in the middle of the menu — is “Traffic Signal Revisions.”
Click here for the form.
And remember: It’s not just the Post Road (Route 1) that’s a state road. Click here for a map showing all the others in town (they’re green).
There’s no guarantee that filling out the form will make anything happen.
There’s no guarantee anyone will even read it.
But it gives you something to do the next time you’re stuck at a mistimed, too long or otherwise frustrating light.
… or this one? Let the state DOT know!
I feel it’s unfortunate if any resident was actually told by town hall that there was nothing it could do to address ill timed lights on a state road running thru town. Since when? The fate of the trees in front of Stop and Shop sure have its attention. Individual residents can tilt at the DOT windmilll all they like. But is it really too much to expect a simple inquiry from a local official to a well placed DOT contact?
Good work Dan! But I nominate the intersection at Compo Beach Road and the Post Road as the most frustrating! During the holidays it could be over five minutes to get across from either side!!
Thanks, Warren — you mean Compo Road North and South, right?
Yes! Heading away from the beach is my personal un-favorite but both ways are so bad!
I was always under the impression that the mis-timed lights were another “traffic quieting” feature of Westport. You know, sort of like the Cribari Bridge. Keeps speed down. Helps discourage out-of-towners from using local roads. That sort of thing.
Shocking that folks are advocating turning Westport’s charming Post Road into an efficient through road which would only encourage even more traffic.
Exactly! You’ll turn the Post Road into the de facto super highway between exits 19 and 17. Since I never see anyone pulled over when people are already driving their Teslas 50 MPH on it now, imagine how fast they’ll be flying when all the lights are in sync!
get Will Haskell on it – there is nothing that lad can’t do
What would’ve Dave Royce or Arnold Kaye done?
I’m stunned there are this many private roads in town but Prospect between Greens Farms and Hillspoint doesn’t seem to be one.
Take note that at any intersection that involves a state road, such as between a state and town road, the traffic light is state operated. In fact, every traffic light in town is state operated except for the two at Main Street/Avery Place and Main Street/Myrtle Ave. (The town replaced those two a few years ago).
When I grew up in Boise Idaho in the 70’s they timed the lights and put a sign on the roads stating “lights are timed for the speed limit at 30mph” and everyone drove 30. No traffic and safe roads! What a concept…not brain surgery!
I would be all for that. Right now, it appears that the lights aren’t timed for anything and completely random.
It also means they are timed for 60 MPH too. ;^) Sorry, I could not resist . . . .
Josh, I have been trying to get something done about this problem since the traffic light at Roseville Road/Post Road was retimed after Hurricane Sandy. I first called town hall and was told to call the state DOT traffic division. I have spoken to state DOT traffic employees up in Newington about it and the light at the Compo Road /Post Road intersection( those were the biggest offenders way back then). Nothing was done at the time, I went to both intersections and timed the lights, including the pedestrian crossing at Compo and even passed those along.
Now, there are other problems , like the one you showed. The synching of the CVS light with the Compo light would keep traffic moving more smoothly and cars turning left from Compo Road towards CVS would have the room to turn.
FYI, the latest mistimed light is much more recent. It’s the one at Compo Road North and Bridge Street . When work was done at that intersection before this past summer, the light was retimed incorrectly. I spoke to someone at DOT, here in Westport and was told that lights can only be retimed after a costly study is done.
I have kind of thrown in the towel of ever getting anything done.
There are other issues as well . Plans are being mad to “fix” the alignment of the Fresh Market parking lot with the one across the Post Road.
What about fixing the alignment of the CVS /Trader Joe’s parking lots?
Thanks, Judy. You meant Compo Road South and Bridge Street, right?
As for the CVS/Trader Joe’s/Post Road light, my solution is to not have the 2 parking lots exit simultaneously. Just have one at a time, one after the other. It could be the same amount of time as now, but that would avoid the ridiculous, scary and accident-inducing “dance” we now see all the time. If the CVS lot exits first, followed by Trader Joe’s, it will also avoid everyone who races through past Trader Joe’s, eastbound on the Post Road, after that light turns red.
Thanks, Dan. Yes, I meant Compo Road South and Bridge Street.
You have a good suggestion for the CVS/Trader Joe’s light.
While we’re talking about the Trader Joe’s parking lot , the other exit out of that lot onto Compo Road South is also a problem.. A car driving towards the light cannot enter the parking lot if a car is waiting to exit. There is simply no room. What’s incredible to me is this lot was redone . Doesn’t anyone redesigning a parking lot get in a car and see what the ramifications are of their redesign?
It’s being done now at the Fresh Market lot. Does anyone think they made this parking lot better? Safer?
By the way, it’s the same owner of both.parking lots.