West Hartford 'Quick Builds' A Fast And Easy Way To Improve Pedestrian Safety

Town of West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Making West Hartford safer for pedestrians and motorists alike needn't break the bank and/or result in massive disruptions due to major projects.

This month, the town announced a new strategy to do just that as part of its ongoing Vision Zero initiative, and it's called "Quick Builds: Fast Solutions for Safer Roads."

And part of that process is for folks to, simply, stop by West Hartford Town Hall, 50 S. Main St., and get a free safety vest that will make you more visible at night.

"Pedestrian safety is a priority. Did you get your Vision Zero reflective vest?" wrote the town in a recent announcement.

To get a vest, folks can stop by Room 312 in town hall, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, the town's "Quick Builds" strategy is resulting in small changes to local roadwasy that may have a big effect for safety.

West Hartford’s Vision Zero strategy aims to achieve zero deaths and serious injuries from traffic-related crashes by 2033.

Toward that end, it recently announced a few new "Quick Builds" projects in November.

"Quick-Builds allow the Town of West Hartford to implement highly visible safety improvements at a fraction of the cost and with a greater speed than traditional capital projects," wrote the town.

"Quick-Build projects can be implemented prior to long-term capital projects and be used to evaluate and modify or remove the road safety design."

The new "Quick Builds" are:

• Curb extensions on Boulevard at Quaker Lane South, and on King Philip Drive at Mohawk Drive.

Curb extensions shorten the distance for pedestrians to cross the road and prevent cars from passing on the right, which is especially hazardous when pedestrians are in the crosswalk.

• Raised crosswalks and rapid flashing beacons were installed on King Philip Drive at the entrance of Aiken Elementary School and on Asylum Avenue.

Raised crosswalks elevate pedestrians so they can be seen better by motorists.

The pedestrian also activates rapid flashing beacons, alerting drivers that a pedestrian is in the crosswalk.

For more information on West Hartford's ongoing Vision Zero safety initiative, click on this link.