Does Southbury Have Too Many Red Lights?

If you’re frustrated with the red light situation in Southbury, you are in good company.

While stop lights are one of the necessary evils of commuting, they don’t guarantee safety for pedestrians or cooperation from drivers.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, red-light running is the number one cause of urban crashes. Furthermore in 2013, approximately 127,000 people were injured in red-light related accidents.

In August 2015, the National Coalition for Safer Roads released an interactive safety map that would allow users to see the number of red-light running deaths in their area as part of the group’s ‘Stop on Red’ initiative.

At Patch, we appreciate that our readers and motorists know the stop lights in Southbury best. We asked you on Facebook how you felt about the red lights in our area. Could Southbury use more red lights? Are there too many? What intersections need a stop light, or can get rid of one?

Here’s what readers said on social media:

- "Remove one by the now-empty Stones lot (ridiculous there was ever 2 lights there in the first place) and install one at the intersection of Main Street S and Flood Bridge Road."

- "Too many, same from Seymour to Southbury on 67, too much congestion bumper to bumper stop and go traffic, not like it used to be"

- "How about a left turning lane on Main Street South and 172? Traffic always backs up because people going to South Britain can't figure out how to move into the intersection to make a left."

- "Too many. And I'm sure they're going to add more when the movie theater opens."

- "It's a comfortable amount. Don't think about putting one at Flood Bridge. Besides, enforce the speed limit first then consider adding lights. The only time it's a bother is when someone speeds from one light to the next, which by the way, the lights are designed to create a break in the traffic so you can make your turn."

- "Have certain lights flash after a certain hour."

- "The no right turn on red near 84 and Dunkin is annoying. Also the one near CVS. Ugh."

- "I totally agree with a light at Main Street and Flood Bridge. Impossible at MANY times throughout the day to make a left onto Main (exiting FB) . From a pedestrian point of view even with the newly installed crossing light the cars, school buses and yes sometimes even police cars have not stopped for me."

Is there a red light in Southbury you can’t stand? Is there an intersection that could desperately use a red light? Let us know on Facebook.