Elizabeth Street is the kind of place where neighbors wave to one another, children play and ride their bikes, and families from all over town walk their dogs after dinner.
The south side is also home to Kent Center School, where children excitedly walk in and out of its doors each day.
Elderly residents at Morning Star Residential Care rely on the peace and safety of this special neighborhood. But Elizabeth Street has unfortunately become something else far less desirable: a racetrack.
We write not out of frustration, but out of concern for the well-being of our community. The reality is that far too many drivers treat our street as a speedway rather than a school and thickly settled residential zone—disregarding the 15-mph speed limit and stop signs that exist for student and resident safety. This problem has worsened over time, with increased traffic volume and a minimal ability to control those who flaunt the law.
Elizabeth Street was never designed to handle high-speed traffic. As neighbors whose small yards face both each other and the street, we see this every day: most cars blowing significantly past 15 mph and stop signs as if they’re optional; delivery trucks rolling through at highway speeds, and, worst of all, distracted drivers oblivious to the fact that a child, elderly resident or pet could step into their path at any moment.
This issue is not just anecdotal—it is quantifiable. Studies on urban street design and traffic control show that a pedestrian struck by a car at 30 mph is over four times more likely to die than one hit at 15 mph—and many cars on Elizabeth Street often exceed even that. We have already seen our pets hit by drivers that are oblivious to the hazard.
Other Connecticut towns are taking concrete steps to address dangerous driving before it leads to tragedy. Last month, Fairfield became the latest municipality to adopt automated traffic enforcement safety devices (ATESDs)—speed and red-light cameras—to improve school zone safety and deter reckless speeding. The Fairfield Representative Town Meeting voted 32-6 to approve a plan to install seven to 10 cameras at six school zones, citing an increase in dangerous and anti-social driving behaviors. As one representative noted, “A child was hit in a school zone not that long ago. We want to make sure our children can walk to and from school safely.”
This is exactly the concern we have here in Kent.
Fairfield’s ordinance outlines clear fines for first and repeat offenses ($50 for the first violation, $75 thereafter). While our town does not currently have speed cameras, consistent enforcement through patrols and targeted stops at various times of day would deter reckless driving.
While speed cameras may be off the table in Kent for now, that does not mean we are out of options. Other towns have successfully reduced residential speeding through a combination of targeted enforcement, community education and infrastructure improvements, and it is time the residents and officials of Kent take responsible action to do the same.
We therefore urge residents, schoolteachers and parents, delivery and service drivers, and others to immediately slow down to posted speeds when driving on Elizabeth Street. Safety and security require everyone to travel at or below 15 MPH—no exceptions. If driving at this speed feels “odd,” please take the time to get used to it.
We additionally request town and official support for more effective enforcement measures. Many drivers simply do not realize how fast they are going or how dangerous their speed can be in a dense living and recreating area. A community-led awareness campaign—with visible signage, school engagement, and local business support—will remind drivers to slow down.
We need prioritized data transparency by requiring annual reports on violations issued, locations with the most offenses and repeat offenders. A consistent report on speeding violations would help guide future enforcement and infrastructure decisions.
Because most drivers on Elizabeth Street do not comply with Kent’s posted speed limit, occasional ticketing efforts are not enough. We greatly appreciate the recent ticketing efforts of Trooper Donohoe, but we need more official presence on Elizabeth Street for deterrence and law enforcement.
Importantly, this is not just a school-hour problem. Many residents have witnessed dangerous speeding well into the evening and late at night, when reckless drivers seem to take advantage of the lack of enforcement. Traffic safety efforts must be consistent and all-day, not just when children are going to and from school.
Speed bumps (temporary or permanent), raised crosswalks, and/or flashing speed signs are proven and creative methods to physically slow down drivers. These relatively affordable and effective solutions will enhance other direct enforcement.
Flashing speed signs could serve as a strong deterrent—visually reminding drivers of their speed and reinforcing the importance of slowing down. We recognize that the town will need to justify the cost of such an investment, so exploring funding options or grant opportunities could help make this a reality.
Washington, Conn., the first town to implement speed cameras, has already begun seeing positive changes in driver behavior and Fairfield officials expect a similar improvement in pedestrian safety once their cameras are in place. While Kent has yet to approve this option, we should not wait until a tragedy occurs before implementing traffic calming measures.
The question is not if reckless speeding on Elizabeth Street will lead to further concern and tragedy—it’s when. Our local children are already hesitant to play in their own front yards due to excessive speed. We refuse to wait until a child, an elderly resident, or a pet is again injured (or worse) before responsible action is taken.
We are not here to assign blame, nor do we seek a heavy-handed response. Instead, we hope this letter serves as a reasonable and responsible call to action—for our neighbors, our school and town officials, and our law enforcement officers—to work together on a solution.
Slowing down, using your common sense, and being courteous to others is a small price to pay for the safety, security, and well-being of our community.
Kathleen Lindenmayer
Kent
Sarah Chase
Kent
