Ansonia Aldermen Consider “Speed Tables” To Calm Traffic

ANSONIA – The Board of Aldermen is asking the police commission to consider installing “speed tables” around town.

At a meeting Aug. 12, members of the board voted 10 – 1 to consult with the police commission on where the city could install speed tables to reduce speeding and traffic accidents.

Speed tables are like speed bumps, but longer and less jarring. They’re typically long enough for a car’s entire wheelbase to rest on, according to the Iowa State University Institute for Transportation.

The Aldermen’s ask comes after Mayor David Cassetti forwarded a proposal to install six speed tables along two streets to the board. It’s part of a $5.1 million road and infrastructure improvement plan, funded by borrowing and approved by voters in 2023.

“Three speed tables will be installed on North Cliff Street, three on North State Street, with painting and signage. Additional speed tables will be looked into,” Cassetti said in the meeting.

Any speed tables would need to be approved by the board of police commissioners.

In a conversation that lasted for about half an hour, the Aldermen mostly agreed that something needs to be done about speeding issues. However, multiple members – along with representatives from the Ansonia Police Department – cautioned that speed tables come with their own drawbacks.

Alderman Tony Levinsky, who sits on the police commission, said that speed tables would make life difficult for first responders and neighbors.

“With the emergency vehicles, it’s going to slow them down,” Levinsky said. “There’s trouble with plowing the snow. There’s trouble with noise, actually. When the car goes over, the neighbors hear the noise. There’s also a problem with drivers who go around into the gutter so only two wheels go over, and they’re risking losing control.”

However, Alderman Joseph Cassetti said he didn’t want to wait for the police department’s input. He said he’s been frustrated with a lack of action on speeding in town, and that the Aldermen should be as decisive as possible.

“They could kick it back and say no, they don’t approve of it. But we’re the ones sticking our necks out here. And we want to make sure that the problem that’s been in front of us all this time and no action has been taken, and we finally have a path to approach this with and I think that that’s the best way to do it, is to install these tables,” Alderman Cassetti said.

Alderman Bob Knott said the board should go around the police commission to authorize the speed tables.

“We’ve asked for these before and never got them. I think we should go right around them,” Knott said.

“We should,” Alderman Cassetti said.

Alderwoman Bobbi Tar, who ultimately voted against the motion, said that it wasn’t the Aldermen’s place to decide how traffic enforcement should be done.

“I’m just saying we need to really take a look at it before this board is willing to pass something that’s not in our purview. We are not speed enforcers. We’re trying to do what we can do, but that has to go through the people who are tasked with enforcing,” Tar said.

She said she was worried about the Aldermen overstepping their authority.

“I don’t want to be in a situation where the Aldermen approve a speed table, and now you have an ambulance who’s got to stop four times on a road because we put a speed table down and it puts someone’s life at risk,” Tar said.

Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch said traffic data collected by the police department simply doesn’t supported the need for speed tables.

He said the police department had measured traffic speeds on Wakelee Avenue, between Franklin Street and Jackson Street, for over a year. He said that in that time, only 2 percent of total traffic went more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. He said that number included emergency vehicles.

Lynch said that putting down speed tables would require upkeep and cause vehicle damage, without guaranteeing any real improvement in traffic patterns.

Alderman Kevin Mello agreed, saying that the people who are currently speeding would continue speeding even after speed tables are installed.

According to data from the Federal Highway Administration, speed tables can be effective at reducing speed in areas where speeding was frequent. However, Lynch said that the local data suggests speed tables wouldn’t have the same effect in town.

“It’s not as simple as putting it down and then it’s done. There’s maintenance, there’s other things, they still cause damage to cars, so it’s not the magic elixir that I think some people think it may be,” Lynch said.

Tar and Levinsky also said that the city could be liable for damages caused by speed tables. Each of them said they don’t want the city to have to pay out more in lawsuits.

“There’s people that don’t pay attention. They’re going to hit that speed bump and either damage their car or wreck their car, and they’re gonna come to the city looking for reimbursement for the damages,” Levinsky said. “I think it’s a big liability. I think APD is the traffic control expert, not the Board of Aldermen.”

Speed tables were proposed in Derby three years ago under former Mayor Rich Dziekan’s administration. Derby Police Commission Chairman Thomas Lenart, Sr. said at the time that speed tables had shown to be effective in New Haven and East Haven.

The project in Derby never moved forward.

The Ansonia Board of Police Commissioners are scheduled to discuss the speed table proposal at their next meeting on Sept. 3.