FAIRFIELD, CT — On the heels of the death of Meghan Raveis, the 45-year-old Fairfield resident killed last week while walking on Redding Road, a petition has been started in an effort to improve safety along the lengthy passageway.
Raveis’ passing is the second pedestrian death on Redding Road in the past three years. On July 4, 2020, Marileidy Morel-Araujo of Matamoras, Pennsylvania, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver, who was eventually arrested and sentenced to prison. Morel-Araujo had been in Fairfield visiting family.
“Greenfield Hill is a beautiful area with residents that care about their surroundings and the safety of others,” wrote Denise Fernandez, a relative of Morel-Araujo, who started the Change.org petition. “The speed limits in place are for the safety of the residents, walkers, cyclists, and students of the Timothy Dwight School. The speed of vehicles in both directions of Redding Rd has been an issue for several years and has now been the cause of 2 deaths. It is a 4 mile downhill run on Redding Rd from Route 136 to Hulls Hwy without 1 stop sign in place.”
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As of Wednesday night, the petition had garnered 1,000 signatures toward its goal of 1,500.
Fernandez is calling for four stop signs to be placed along Redding Road — at Longmeadow, Brett and Verna Hill roads, and at Cross Highway — which she believes will help make the road safer by forcing vehicles to slow down.
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Additionally, Fernandez is calling for the installation of traffic cameras along the stretch, and other improvements, such as rumble strips in the middle of the roadway to help with visibility.
“The residents of Redding Rd. are in constant jeopardy due to the disrespect of drivers who choose not to obey the speed limit,” Fernandez wrote. “As residents we purchased homes for the tranquility GFH has to offer, not to have our lives endangered or jeopardized by reckless drivers.”
Fairfield Police Lt. Michael Paris told Patch that officers “will maintain a presence on Redding Road,” as the department continues the investigation into the “sad and tragic” crash that took Raveis’ life.
“The police department has a sincere vested interest in making any roadway safer for pedestrians,” Paris said. “With that said, any roadway changes, additions to safety measures, etc. would be done through the town’s engineering department [which] has expertise in these matters. We always will work hand in hand with the town engineers to recommend any safety concerns.”
In an interview with News 12 Connecticut, First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said that town officials “are definitely going to take a look at Redding Road because this is something that has rocked the community.”
Click here to view the Change.org petition.
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