Residents Organizing to Restore Allen St. Stop Sign
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Residents Organizing to Restore Allen St. Stop Sign

Neighborhood leaders and activists are organizing people to advocate at the September 18, 2018 Board of Police Commissioners meeting in support of restoring the stop signs at the corner of Allen and Carlton streets.

“Please come out let the commission know how dangerous this area is and why they need to put back the intersection light back on the corner of Allen and Oak as well!,” said Pablo Rodriguez, Vice President of the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ).

“In the memory of Angel ‘Kiki’ Colon,” he added.

The Police Board was referred a City Council petition that was introduced by Ald. Emmanuel Sanchez (D-AL) calling for the city to consider restoring stop signs at Allen and Carlton Streets.

Sanchez’ petition called for, “reinstallation of stop signs at the intersection of Allen Street and Carlton Street, as there have been several car accidents and complaints from residents in the neighborhood regarding excessive speeding on Allen Street.”

Neighbors and leadership in the North-Oak Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) have been asking for the city to consider bringing back the stop light that was at the corner of Allen and Oak Streets and the stop sign that was at the corner of Allen and Carlton Streets. The city previously decided to remove both the stop sign and stop light.

The corner of Allen and Carlton Streets has reportedly seen several accidents since the removal of the stop sign by the city.

July 18, 2018. Photo by Pablo Rodriguez.
July 18, 2018. Photo by Pablo Rodriguez.

A City Council petition is procedure in New Britain by which an individual member or more than one member of the Council is empowered to require consideration of action from or a report by a city department or commission.

Council members frequently use this process to formally propose that the city take action on a particular concern.

In introducing the petition, Ald. Sanchez stressed that he has great respect for Police Chief James Wardwell and the process by which the New Britain Police and the Board of Police Commissioners make decisions on the need for traffic controls.

Sanchez says that he introduced his petition since, light of neighborhood concerns, there is a need to reassess whether the stop signs should be re-installed at Allen and Carlton.

The Board of Police Commissioners meeting is September 18, 2018, at 7:00pm in the New Britain Police Department Community Room at 10 Chestnut Street.