NEWINGTON, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Transportation announced plans to upgrade existing pedestrian crossings in a number of New Haven and Fairfield county towns.
The improvements will include countdown pedestrian indications, accessible pedestrian push buttons, and concurrent pedestrian phasing in an effort to improve accessibility and pedestrian safety at 61 locations in Branford, Bridgeport, Darien, East Haven, Fairfield, Guilford, Madison, Milford, Monroe, New Canaan, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, Shelton, West Haven, Weston, Westport, and Woodbridge.
Officials said design plans for these projects are expected to be completed in February 2023, with a tentative advertising date for construction of April 2023.
In 2022, pedestrian deaths are expected to reach a 40-year-record high according to the Governor's Highway Safety Association report. Nearly 7.500 pedestrians died in 2021, an increase of 12% from the previous year.
The report said, "Speed has a significant impact on pedestrian safety. The average risk of death for pedestrians increases exponentially the faster a vehicle is traveling, from 10% at 23 mph to 90% at 58 mph."
Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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