Dangerous roads for pedestrians

(WTNH) - What you want to see when you're walking is a sidewalk. But two of the state's busiest roads -- Route 1 and Route 5 -- don't have them in some places, and that's why they have been labeled two of the state's 'most dangerous'.

The Boston Post Road through Connecticut is built for traffic and it gets plenty of it. Route 1 is lined with stores and restaurants, places for people to work, shop and eat. But this road is not always well-suited to handle walkers.

"We're just trying to catch the bus downhill, so, but, it doesn't come up that way," Tara Williams of West Haven said, gesturing, "so you have to walk and try to get across the street."

That is not an easy task, Williams said. She doesn't like to walk this way and says it's especially scary when she's with her daughter.

"Yeah, it is," Williams said. "That's why I keep her on the inside and we end up climbing over snow mounds and things in order to stay out of the road."

It's no surprise to Williams that a study by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign identified Route 1 and Route 5 as two of the most dangerous roads along which to walk in Connecticut.

Researchers looked at the number deadly pedestrian accidents in the state between 2006 and 2008 and determined the design of these roads deserves some of the blame.

One example can be found at a bus stop in a busy section of Orange along Route 1. People will get off the bus to go to work. The problem is there are no sidewalks.

Rita Torres of New Haven knows that all too well. News Channel 8 caught up with her cutting through a parking lot after getting off a bus. She does this every day.

"I have to, if I want to get to work," Torres said.
"Do you ever get nervous? Cars go pretty quick around here."
"Yeah, it's more scarier up on Marsh Hill Road, so I cut up through the woods 'cause there's no sidewalk and there's no bus stop up there."

Tara Williams has an idea to make things better. "Instead of making more lanes, make accessible walkways for pedestrians," she said. "Not everyone has a car."

That's what the Tri-State Transportation Campaign would like to see. The group applauds Connecticut for passing a Complete Streets law requiring new roads be built to accommodate cars, bikes and walkers. But the group says more work needs to be done.

Details of their report on Connecticut can be found at www.tstc.org