Middle Schoolers Map Newtown’s Problem Roads, Intersections

(Full screen above to see all details from the presentation.)

For a class project, a group of Newtown Middle School students decided to identify a problem in the community and help develop a solution. The problem: which roads and intersections in Newtown are most in need of a fix?

Calling themselves the "Street Safety Squad," the group — Michael Arther, Connor DiNallo, Ravi Ahuja and Dyllon Chowdhury — posted a survey on Newtown Patch — and received 75 responses. After assembling the data under the supervision of coach Fred Arther, they presented their findings to Public Works Director Fred Hurley last week.

"These kids are pretty bright,” Hurley said. “You want to encourage that kind of participation."

Hurley said his department is currently reviewing the data to decide what Public Works could handle and what could be reviewed by other departments such as the Police Commission.

The most problematic? The Flagpole wins by a wide margin. 21 residents cited the Main St. / Church Hill Road intersection as a major issue while driving, with many suggesting a stoplight could ease concerns for motorists, especially those trying to make a left turn from Church Hill onto Main during rush hour — a difficult task, as Newtown drivers know.

It’s not hard to see why the Flagpole intersection is such a problem. As one respondent dryly put it when asked to describe the traffic issue: “There is a flagpole in the middle of the road.”

Their solution? "Do not fix. Part of town charm."

Others found the situation more urgent.

"It is only a two way stop of the four directions of traffic,” wrote one respondent. "It has been dangerous and been considered a place where a traffic light should be. Just recently there was a collision with pedestrians. It is so sad to hear this happened."

Respondents also identified the Bennett’s Bridge intersections at Osborne Hill and Route 34 as potentially dangerous due to poor lights of sight.

"When stopped on Osborne and trying to turn left onto Bennett's Bridge, it is almost impossible to see oncoming traffic until it is too late,” wrote one. "Someone could lose their life here."

Hurley said the Police Commission would be responsible for installing stoplights, but that Public Works has identified the line-of-sight issues on Bennett’s Bridge.

"Usually you have to work in conjunction with the property owner or the state," he said. “We’re working with the kids to talk to the property owners and see what we can do."

The results are highlighted in their presentation above, but here’s a brief rundown of the roads and intersections, in order of most responses to least:

• The Flagpole (Main St. and Church Hill Road) 21
• Bennett’s Bridge 10
• Queen Street 9
• Toddy Hill 6
• Church Hill 5
• Newtown High School / Newtown Middle School 4
• Wasserman Way 3
• Currituck 2
• Other 15