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Community Corner

Petition to Get Warning Signs Placed at Train Crossings Already Has 112 Signatures

Report and Photo by Paula Antolini

Bethel resident Hallie Kerrigan has formed a petition on change.org asking that warning signs be placed on either side of the train tracks on Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, to warn oncoming cars that the crossing gates are not working, and to fix the train crossing signal. 

The petition states, "Fix the crossing signal on Greenwood Avenue and in the meantime put up signs notifying residents that the signal isn't working and to proceed with caution. Cars have no indication that a train is coming. Bethel police have been notified as of November 2013. But it needs to be fixed. The police watch sometimes but not enough.

In only a few days the petition has received 112 signatures, so far.

Kerrigan said, "I decided to start this petition because I was almost hit by a train. I am married with an eight year old and a three year old. We were all in the car. We had no indication that a train was coming and pulled up to the tracks on Greenwood and stopped because I happened to see the train. We were the first car there. The train did come to a complete stop but it was still so scary.  I talked to the Bethel Police Department and went down the the station and filled a report out.

The incident Kerrigan mentioned happened in the past week and she filed the police report on February 11th, 2014, at the Bethel Police Department, she said.  "I was received really well at the police department. I called them and they asked me to come down and give a statement."

Hallie Kerrigan has lived in Bethel for 6 years and her husband Michael Kerrigan grew up in Bethel, she said.

Kerrigan also said, "I started the petition because of the Facebook chatter."  This petition was created after much chat from numerous local residents was observed on social media from those who have had negative personal experiences crossing the Greenwood Avenue tracks. This regards safety hazards when gates were up, and/or vehicles on roads that were stopped, or cars going around those stopped vehicles (not knowing why they were stopped) and being blindsided by a train suddenly in their vision, along with the shock of seeing a train a few feet from them on the tracks, as they are already driving over the tracks. 

The Facebook chats and community buzz about this topic are still ongoing.  There is much continuing concern about the safety hazard of the crossing gates and signals not working properly.  It is hoped that new warning signage will at least relieve the hazardous road problem while the railroad system is bring worked on by MTA/Metro-North.

Hallie has lived in Bethel for 6 years and her husband Michael Kerrigan grew up in Bethel, she said.

To view and sign the petition go to the website here:
http://www.change.org/petitions/bethel-ct-mta-fix-the-crossing-signal-on-greenwood-avenue#share

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