Saying motorists are veering into the oncoming lane to avoid cars parked along a bend in the road, officials are installing two ‘No Parking’ signs on Church Street.
Motorists are veering into the oncoming traffic lane in the area of the gentle bend in Church Street, to avoid cars parked in its apex. The Police Commission has approved the installation of ‘No Parking’ signs just there. Credit: Michael Dinan
The Police Commission voted 3-0 at its Nov. 18 meeting to install the signs on the north side of Church Street around where Green Avenue comes into it.
Police Capt. John DiFederico said that on the straight sections of Church Street, parked cars are “not much of a problem, but on that curve it’s a real hazard.”
“[The commission] voted last year to designate ‘no parking’ on the south side of Church Street because there’s a curve there and what was happening was that cars were parked along the curve and cars going around them would go across the center line,” DiFederico said at the meeting, held in the Training Room at the New Canaan Police Department. “Now they’re parked right on the apex of that curve but on the north side and there are vehicles there all day—I think there is a house under construction, so there are constantly vehicles parked right on the curve.”
Motorists still will be allowed to park on the north side of the street along the straight sections of the road.
Police Commission Chairman Stuart Sawabini said the problem of motor vehicle traffic on Church Street likely is exacerbated during the holiday season.
“What happens this time of year is the Nutcracker season so a number of cars parked there go quadruple because it’s Nutcracker rehearsal time,” Sawabini said.
Police Capt. Vincent DeMaio said addressing the problem of standing traffic at Church and Main during pickup times should be handled separately.
“That is a whole other kettle of fish,” DeMaio said.