Connecticut § 14-307a - Pedestrian safety zones. Regulations.

§ 14-307a. Pedestrian safety zones. Regulations.

Sec. 14-307a. Pedestrian safety zones. Regulations. (a) The traffic authority of any town, city or borough may establish a pedestrian safety zone on any street, highway and bridge or in any parking area for ten cars or more or on any private road wholly within the municipality under its jurisdiction without approval from the Office of the State Traffic Administration, provided: (1) The municipality, by vote of its legislative body, or in the case of a municipality in which the legislative body is a town meeting, its board of selectmen, grants general authority to the traffic authority to establish pedestrian safety zones within the municipality. Such general authority is not required if such legislative body or board of selectmen is also the traffic authority; (2) the traffic authority conducts an engineering study described in subsection (b) of this section; (3) the posted speed limit for such zone is not less than twenty miles per hour; (4) such zone encompasses a clearly defined downtown district or community center frequented by pedestrians or is adjacent to hospital property or, in the opinion of the traffic authority, is sufficiently close to hospital property as to constitute a risk to the public safety; and (5) the traffic authority satisfies the requirements of subparagraphs (C) to (E), inclusive, of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 14-218a, if applicable.

(b) Prior to establishing a pedestrian safety zone, the traffic authority shall conduct an engineering study in accordance with the Federal Highway Administration's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, as amended from time to time, and other generally accepted engineering principles and guidance. The study shall be completed by a professional engineer licensed to practice in this state and shall consider factors, including, but not limited to, pedestrian activity, type of land use and development, parking and the record of traffic crashes in the area under consideration to be a pedestrian safety zone. If the study recommends the establishment of a pedestrian safety zone, the study shall also include a speed management plan and recommend actions to achieve lower motor vehicle speeds.

(c) In a municipality where the Office of the State Traffic Administration approves speed limits on the streets, highways and bridges or in any parking area for ten cars or more or on any private road wholly within the municipality in accordance with section 14-218a, the traffic authority shall notify the office in writing of the establishment of any pedestrian safety zone and confirm that the requirements of this section have been satisfied.

(d) If the Commissioner of Transportation or a traffic authority of any town, city or borough seeks to establish a pedestrian safety zone on a state highway that passes through a downtown or community center, the commissioner or traffic authority shall submit a written request to the Office of the State Traffic Administration and include with such request the engineering study and speed management plan conducted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. The office shall be the sole authority for establishing a pedestrian safety zone on a state highway and shall provide a written explanation of the reasons for denying any such request.

(e) The Office of the State Traffic Administration may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 21-28, S. 7; P.A. 22-40, S. 20.)

History: P.A. 22-40 amended Subsec. (a)(5) to replace reference to Sec. 14-218a(2)(C) to (E) with reference to Sec. 14-218a(c)(2)(C) to (E), effective July 1, 2022.