Avon Truck Ban Draws Complaints -- Courant.com

Town leaders are concerned that the Avon Mountain truck ban imposed by the state will cause increased traffic problems in town, particularly in Collinsville.

[Eric]

There is already increased traffic flow due to the ban.My house shakes every day with the big trucks that are going thru many of them fully loaded.It can't be good for the bridge in Collinsville,

[correcting media lies]

The Courant likes to stir up controversy. First it shakes people up about the dangerous road, then it upsets people over the only possible short-term solution.

[Enfield resident]

Just ban the trucks from comming down the hill

[Big Mouth]

I think that my former town should just bite the bullet and deal with the traffic. Maybe there needs to be police enforcement on the affected roads. Maye increased sate police presence. Use the increased taxes from The Shoppes to finance the police enforcement!!

[Tomolonius Free Canton]

Wow. How wonderfully shortsighted and selfish of our town leaders. Let's only think about us! It's not like 4 people weren't KILLED in that horrible Avon Mountain Crash. Clearly, until something permanent is done on Rt 44, everyone will have to SUCK IT UP and deal with the increased traffic.
By the way, smarten up people. It's not big trucks causing the pedestrian concerns in Collinsville. It's the MORONS driving passenger cars 50 mph through the town every day, oblivious of what's going on around them. And the last time I checked, flourescent green pedestrian signs don't write tickets. HIRE MORE COPS!

[Skibum]

Actually from my quick tally more people have been killed on Rt. 179 south of Collinsville over the past 4 years.
Rt. 179 through Collinsville and heavy truck traffic is an accident waiting to happen.
This ban is the wrong way to address the issue I'm afraid.
IMHO of course.

Unfortunately any of the proposed VIABLE solutions I've seen has someone all worked up.

[leaders]

Our town leaders are nimbled minded to fuss about the TEMPORARY solution to Avon Mountain. The state of CT has done the right thing to immediately ban traffic until they can erect a truck runaway lane. So it may be a little inconvenient to surrounding communties...Suck it up! I'm sure that the women from Canton who died two years ago wouldn't have minded a few extra trucks travelling through town if it saves lives. Boy oh boy...some politicians and police chiefs will say anything to get in the paper!

[lady in waiting]

And the last time I checked, flourescent green pedestrian signs don't write tickets. HIRE MORE COPS

That's a novel idea! Why doesn't the town put their money where their mouths are at and hire more police officers. The only way to prevent accidents is more enforcement. I recently found out that there are only 2 officers per shift in Canton. That is a disgrace....Why doesn't this come up during budget talks. I went to the budget hearings and did not hear one request about hiring more officers. I want to hear from my police chief and elected officials on this one.

[Pushing The Card]

lady in waiting wrote:

And the last time I checked, flourescent green pedestrian signs don't write tickets. HIRE MORE COPS
That's a novel idea! Why doesn't the town put their money where their mouths are at and hire more police officers. The only way to prevent accidents is more enforcement. I recently found out that there are only 2 officers per shift in Canton. That is a disgrace....Why doesn't this come up during budget talks. I went to the budget hearings and did not hear one request about hiring more officers. I want to hear from my police chief and elected officials on this one.

They're operating with the 1950's mentality. They have gotten away with it for years and they'll continue until something major happens. Think about it.. 2 Cops... What a shame. I'll be they've even operated with one when staffing was short due to sickness and vacations. There's a town leaving itself wide open.

I couldn't agree with you MORE.. Enforcement is the ONLY tool to stop all this madness. It has to be continuous and relentless.

[Eric]

Tomolonius free Canton sounds like B.L.

[MBA]

If the Chief and the town officials from Canton are so worried about a Pedestrian getting struck, they should assign Police Officers or Crossing Guards temporarily in those locations. If it’s already an issue as the Chief suggests, they should have already put crossing guards there. Apparently it’s not an issue they’ve chosen to address, there are much more pressing issues to tackle in Canton, like….??? If Collinsville had a 10% grade main traffic route with a major intersection at the bottom of it, I’m certain they would think the ban was the best thing since sliced bread. Quit complaining, support a TEMPORARY (effectively 3 months!!) ban that may just save the lives of some of your residents, and get with the program.

[Route 185]

Wonder what's going to happen to Route 185, Simsbury Road. This country road may turn into the Indy 500.

[Big Mouth]

Tomolonius Free Canton wrote:

Wow. How wonderfully shortsighted and selfish of our town leaders. Let's only think about us! It's not like 4 people weren't KILLED in that horrible Avon Mountain Crash. Clearly, until something permanent is done on Rt 44, everyone will have to SUCK IT UP and deal with the increased traffic.
By the way, smarten up people. It's not big trucks causing the pedestrian concerns in Collinsville. It's the MORONS driving passenger cars 50 mph through the town every day, oblivious of what's going on around them. And the last time I checked, flourescent green pedestrian signs don't write tickets. HIRE MORE COPS!

Right on!!!!

[Big Mouth]

Route 185 wrote:

Wonder what's going to happen to Route 185, Simsbury Road. This country road may turn into the Indy 500.

185 is already the Indy 500. I am surprised at the apparent lack of serious accidents there. I do feel that 185 is safer for trucks since the hill is a bit shorter and trucks could run into the center islands at the bottom. At lease there are no major intersections at the bottom of the hill. I support rerouting trucks from RT 44 to RT 185. Probably safer then going through Farmington. I am afraid this is the lessor of two evils.

[Tomolonius Free Canton]

Eric wrote:

Tomolonius free Canton sounds like B.L.

I'm not sure what "B.L." is, but, okay.

[Dave]

Yes, as Tomolonius free canton says it is the morons driving thru town at 50mph every day, especially Maple and Dowd...but I don't see any cops running radar....ever.I do however see them driving aroung talking on their cellphones, quite a bit.