Residents Seek Solutions For 'Serious And Urgent Safety Issue' On Popular Cut-Through Street In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — Several residents are seeking solutions to what they say is a "serious and urgent safety issue" on Mallard Drive, a popular cut-through street near Greenwich High School.

The residents appeared before the Board of Selectmen in a virtual meeting on Friday morning, and asked for safety measures to be implemented as soon as possible.

"Mallard is a cut-through street that sits between Greenwich High School and Julian Curtiss, with children walking on the sidewalks every morning and afternoon," said Bradley Wilpon, an area resident. "Cars, big trucks, and vans are using the street as a shortcut, speeding well above safe limits, and there are currently no deterrents in place to slow them down. We're deeply concerned that if nothing changes, a tragic accident is inevitable."

Ariel Cohen, a new resident of Mallard Drive, said she sees children and families walking on the sidewalks every day to and from school. She recounted stories she heard from neighbors about past crashes there, and worried about future incidents.

"It really feels like a terrible accident waiting to happen," she told the board. "It just makes us really nervous watching it all happen every day. We're brand new residents of Mallard and really happy to be here, and as future parents ourselves, we see this just as a safety issue. It's not really about nuisance traffic. We don't mind cars driving by our house, it's really about protecting the children and families."

Cohen said the area neighbors have been discussing potential solutions that could help increase safety.

Notably, Cohen said a three-way stop sign at the intersection of Mallard Drive and Pintail Lane, where there is already a marked crosswalk, would get cars to slow down right in the middle of the straightaway on Mallard.

She also proposed coupling the stop sign with a center-crosswalk sign reminding drivers to yield to pedestrians.

As Greenwich Public Works continues to install speed enforcement cameras in several school zones around town, Cohen said Mallard Drive "feels like a perfect candidate for something like that.

Wilpon agreed, but First Selectman Fred Camillo was unsure if the area fell under the criteria for the cameras, which are allowed by the state. Camillo said temporary mobile speed feedback cameras could be added to Mallard Drive, but he stressed "we always want to have a more permanent solution," as the cameras are often moved to different area and there aren't enough in the town's inventory.

Camillo expressed support for a stop sign, saying, "I can only see good coming from a stop sign there, and that may be all we can do there."

Additionally, Cohen suggested that "children at play" white picket fence signs could be placed along Mallard Drive to alert drivers.

"This does feel pretty urgent that changes are really made just to prevent some serious accident from happening. It's a really special neighborhood, and we're so happy to be here. It does feel really unsafe right now," Cohen added. "We're really here because we don't want someone to get hurt."

Cohen referred to a traffic study the town conducted in August of 2022, and said the results don't truly reflect current conditions because the study was done during the summer when roads are traditionally emptier. There was also a construction project on Mallard Drive at the time, she noted.

Deputy Commissioner of Public Works Gabriella Circosta-Cohee said there is traffic data from October 2022 and November 2023, but the department can take an updated traffic count and collect more speed data.

Camillo said these kinds of studies are needed first as Greenwich is bound by state law and would have to work with the CT Department of Transportation on potential traffic changes.

"Keep in mind, we have to follow the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) and there are requirements that we have to meet for public roads," Circosta-Cohee added. "We will collect new data and take a look at the volumes coming in each direction and take a view at that and see if it meets the warrants for a stop sign, and we can add that to our investigation list."

Last year, the town pursued eliminating parking on a stretch of Mallard Drive, but residents, including Mariah Genovese, said parked cars served as a way to slow speedy drivers.

Genovese, who walks her daughter to and from school each day, spoke on Friday and urged the board to find solutions.

"It's dangerous. It's a stretch of road that goes for just under a half mile that is a straight shot," she said. "I'm constantly yelling to cars to please slow down. It's just not safe."