To the editor:
There has been a growing awareness of the importance of safe walking and bicycling on the streets of Darien.
In particular, the Board of Selectmen and the Town’s Public Works Committee (PWC) of the Representative Town Committee (RTM) have demonstrated an interest in Town assets and infrastructure relating to pedestrian safety, shared with the RTM’s Public Health and Safety Committee (PH&S).
Aware of the need for more consistent engagement for pedestrian safety, the PWC recommended in December of 2014, and the Board of Selectmen approved in early 2015, the establishment of the Board of Selectmen Pedestrian Infrastructure Advisory Committee (PIAC) with nine appointed members.
The work of the group is intended to broaden the outreach of the Selectmen and to engage the community in discussions regarding potential high-value improvements to Darien’s existing pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.
Recommendations made by the PIAC and adopted by the Selectmen will be considered by the RTM during the 2016/2017 budget process and incorporated in the 2016 update to the long-term Plan of Conservation and Development of the Town of Darien.
The rapidly growing interest in promoting safety and opportunities for walking or riding a bike is not only a local issue but shared by almost all urban and suburban communities.
In these cities and towns, the conversations are no longer dominated by the issues involving vehicular traffic. Increasingly, the singular approach is replaced by the concept of what urban planners call “complete streets”.
The members of Darien’s PIAC are keenly aware and supportive of these cultural changes. It is important, however, to remember that at the foundation of any long term change are the solutions to many immediate, cost-effective and practical matters.
For us, such issues are safe walking for students and commuters, sidewalk improvements for all pedestrians, enhanced safety at marked and unmarked crosswalks, incentives to “park and walk” and a focus on creating a network of routes along primary roads within the half-mile radius surrounding such ‘hot spots’ as schools, train stations, commercial centers and parks via a forward-looking sidewalk master plan, just to mention a few aspects of the committee’s work.
Clearly, with such a comprehensive mandate, the “Sidewalk Committee”, representing all six districts of Darien, despite meeting weekly and despite receiving the strong support of the private and public Town leadership, will not be able to complete its work without the support of its constituents – the residents of Darien.
With the mandate of community engagement set by the Selectmen in mind, the PIAC team has recently developed a detailed Darien Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Request Survey which is now available online or via the Town of Darien website under Town News & Information.
The survey questionnaire is designed to ask for, and to receive, the Darien residents’ input and guidance in the most effective and timely manner. We strongly urge our friends and neighbors in Darien to go to the website and to participate in the survey. The website will be accessible from through November 1.
The many challenges falling under the headline of pedestrian and bicycle traffic are important subjects to all Darien families as we move toward “complete streets” — and a “complete community”.
With this in mind, all members of our committee greatly appreciate any time you may be able to set aside for the Darien Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Request Survey. The objective is to make pedestrian and bicycle traffic safer and, as always, to make our town the best place of residence anywhere.
Thank you.
Beth Harmon, PIAC Chair and Pat Morrissey, PIAC Co-Chair
PIAC members: Bert von Stuelpnagel, Joanna Garrett, Jennifer Morgan, Susanne Handler, Ted Hawkins, Terry Duffy, and Holly Schulz