Fairfield Launches Safe Streets Campaign

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield officially kicked off its new Safe Streets campaign on Monday in an effort to raise awareness among drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians to be safer and more respectful on the town's roadways.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Fairfield Safe Streets Alliance, is an important one to First Selectman Bill Gerber, who said in a promotional video (see below) that the goal of the effort is to save lives.

In recent years, the town has seen multiple pedestrian fatalities, and over the weekend, a person on a moped was killed in a collision with a vehicle.

"This Safe Streets initiative, which has been created by our administration, is a systematic approach to evaluating streets and investing in changes to make them safer," Gerber said.

According to statistics released by the Fairfield Police Department, officers responded to 1,144 vehicle crashes in 2024, issued 8,710 traffic tickets, and made more than 12,600 traffic stops.

Of the more than 1,100 crashes, 202 of them involved injuries, and 16 of those involved pedestrians.

"Each day, our officers witness the consequences of unsafe behavior on our roadways, whether it's a bicyclist unaware of the rules of the road, a pedestrian not crossing at a crosswalk, or a driver who doesn't stop at a stop sign," said Police Chief Robert Kalamaras. "These violations may seem minor to some, but we know they can lead to serious and sometime tragic outcomes."

Monday's event included remarks from a host of local and state officials, and a demonstration of what the jolt feels like from the impact of a 5 mph crash.

— Fairfield Police Sgt. Jenna Wellington tests the Connecticut State Police 5 mph crash simulator during the kickoff of the town's Safe Streets campaign. Photo credit: Alfred Branch/Patch

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz spoke about her brother, John, an avid cyclist and triathlete, who was struck while on a ride in Guilford by a vehicle driven by a person who was under the influence.

"It just underscores why we're all here," Bysiewicz said. "I travel all over the state every day, and I see people driving in crazy ways, on our highways, but also in our towns and cities."

— Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz during the kickoff of Fairfield's Safe Streets campaign. Photo credit: Alfred Branch/Patch

For more information on Fairfield's Safe Streets campaign, click here.