Police have fielded a complaint about motorists who create traffic tie-ups downtown while traveling south on Park Street and then turning left, across the oncoming traffic lane, to the bustling Starbucks parking lot.
Park and Elm Streets in New Canaan, in front of the Starbucks. A complaint has been lodged with police about motorists on Park Street seeking to turn left into the lot, across the oncoming traffic lane. Streetview
According to the complaint, discussed by the Traffic Calming Work Group at its most recent meeting, the offending motorists often sit in the roadway before they can turn, holding up traffic and “causing other drivers to sit through two long traffic signals.”
That is “inconvenient for many citizens headed to the train station for work, to town for work or to other appointments,” according to the complainant.
The complainant recommended installing a ‘No left turn’ sign to head off the problem, according to the letter, sent to Police Capt. John DiFederico, who sits on the Work Group along with public works, parking, fire and emergency management officials.
The problem “does not really happen that often,” DiFederico said at their most recent meeting, held Sept. 18 at the New Canaan Police Department.
“I don’t think many people pull that way in and if you have to sit through two cycles of a traffic light, it’s not the end of the world. But I don’t see that many people wanting to go into Starbucks that way, because it’s such a hassle. I don’t know that many people do that.”
Public Works Director Tiger Mann agreed, saying that motorists “bail on the left” after seeing how difficult it is to get into the cramped Starbucks lot and that “it’s not worth it.”
According to DiFederico, he advised the complainant along those lines and also pushed back on the idea of a ‘Do not enter’ or similar sign designed to prevent motorists from entering the privately owned Starbucks lot that way.
Mann noted that such a sign also would apply to northbound Park Street motorists who have no difficulty pulling into the lot.
DiFederico said the complainant likely is assuming the lot’s traffic flow is one-way, “but it’s not.”
In addition, the complainant noted that town officials already have taken up the problem of motorists pulling onto the sidewalk out front of Starbucks on Park Street, forcing pedestrians into the roadway. The Parking Commission this summer took up the idea of creating a new $50 fine for a “Parking on Sidewalk” violation.
DiFederico suggested the town consider placing a bench with planters on the sidewalk to dissuade motorists from pulling up there, like the one installed on South Avenue in front of the Mobil station to address a similar problem.
Yet “people didn’t like that bench,” Mann said.
DiFederico said a bench like that fronting Park Street outside Starbucks could be a good addition.
“People sit and wait for the train, get coffee,” he said. “Just kind of discourage that [practice of parking there], because it’s such a big platform for cars. It’s kind of inviting to park there.”