At a meeting of the Fairfield Traffic Authority, members approved a multi-site pilot to test temporary traffic‑calming measures on Mill Plain Road, Sturgis Road and Storjes Road and several adjacent intersections. The pilot will use temporary devices — flexible bollards, paint, curb bump‑outs, raised crosswalks (speed tables) and centerline hardening — to assess pedestrian, bicyclist and vehicle interactions and will run for one to six months starting in June, with two weeks' public notice before installations.

The pilot was presented by Bill Hurley, engineering manager, and staff member Megha, who described the measures as conceptual and emphasized they are demonstrations rather than permanent construction. “This is only for demonstration,” Megha said. Hurley told the authority the timing was chosen to capture data while schools are in session and to allow pre‑ and post‑demonstration counts.

The demonstrations include: testing flexible bollards and temporary stripe changes at the Angkura (Angkor) and Mill Plain intersection; raised crosswalks and reduced radii at Mill Plain and Round Hill; centerline hardening and curb extensions in areas with vehicle–pedestrian conflicts; and multiple interventions along Storjes and Bronson where sight‑line and grade issues were noted. Hurley said consultants flagged locations with limited right‑of‑way where only paint and bollards are feasible, and that in one island the utility boxes preclude permanent island construction.

The authority's approval sets the pilot time window at one to six months and tasks staff to post detailed pre‑demonstration data online and to collect equivalent post‑demonstration measures. Hurley and Megha said the posted materials will include accident histories, vehicle speed distributions (80th percentile), pedestrian and bicycle counts, and hourly volume so the town and residents can evaluate outcomes. Hurley said the town will coordinate with the Connecticut Department of Transportation where work would affect DOT jurisdiction (for example at the I‑95 ramp area).

Residents attending the meeting urged more aggressive speed reduction. Sarah Mason, a resident, told the authority, “If you're struck by a car going 35 miles per hour, you're likely dead. If you're struck by a car that's going 20 miles per hour, you're likely to survive with very, minor injuries.” Other residents described frequent high speeds, sight‑line problems caused by hedges, and near misses at crosswalks near schools. Charles Hemingway said, “There are going to be some really bad accidents and fatalities” if changes are not made. Several speakers pressed for enforcement as a complement to engineering changes; Bill Hurley and police representatives said enforcement and education would be part of the overall approach.

The authority voted to approve the demonstrations. The motion, as amended on the floor, sets a demonstration period of one to six months beginning in June, with staff instructed to post the consultant slides and all data and to give two weeks' notice before each demonstration deployment.

Next steps: staff will finalize demonstration layouts, publish the full pre‑study data sets online, coordinate with CT DOT where applicable, run the temporary devices, collect post‑deployment data, and report back to the Fairfield Traffic Authority for any recommended permanent actions.