State Rep. Len Greene, R‑Seymour, said a traffic light is desperately needed at the intersection of routes 34 and 188 in Seymour.
A SUV plowed into a house across from the intersection late Friday. Click here for the story. See the video for footage from the scene.
There were no injuries, but the crash underscores the need for safety improvements, Greene said.
“Friday night’s accident underscores the dangerous nature of this busy intersection,” Greene said in a prepared statement. “Thankfully, in this latest incident there were no major injuries although a home was severely damaged. I believe the DOT should once again consider putting a traffic signal at this intersection.”
Greene said data from the state Department of Transportation shows there have been 13 crashes at the intersection between 2006 and 2008.
Greene said the DOT agrees that a traffic light is needed — but “funding restraints” have prevented the agency from doing so.
The Valley Indy was unable to check the stats with the DOT late Monday afternoon.
“It’s only a matter of time before there’s a fatal crash at this site and the safety of our residents shouldn’t take a backseat to funding concerns,” Greene said. “It seems to me that if the state can bond close to $1 billion for the UConn Health Center then it should have no trouble funding an important project necessary to keep people safe on the roads. The state DOT has the studies and they have design plans, now they need to make this intersection safer.”
In Friday’s crash, Nicole Daniels, whose family owns the house that was hit, said the driver who crashed appeared to be intoxicated. Her friend, Chris Mack, also said the driver appeared to be intoxicated.
The driver’s SUV wedged itself into the basement of the house, then burst into flames.
There was no word Monday as to whether the driver was charged.
Firefighters at the scene said the property has been hit several times in the past.
