Community Planning and Economic Development Committee Virtual Meeting - May 20, 2026

The West Hartford Community Planning and Economic Development Committee held a virtual meeting on May 20, 2026, focusing primarily on advancing the town's Vision Zero traffic safety initiatives. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the red-light camera program, which is currently out for bid with plans to install cameras at eight intersections as part of an 18-month pilot funded by a federal SS4A grant. The committee reviewed the selection criteria for camera locations, emphasizing data-driven decisions based on crash history and pedestrian safety, and discussed the integration of this program into the existing Automatic Traffic Enforcement Safety Device (ATESD) plan. Additionally, updates were provided on several capital improvement projects, including the French Street Bridge replacement with bids ranging from $7 to $9 million, largely grant-funded, and culvert replacements near the former UConn campus to mitigate flooding. The committee also addressed concerns about equitable enforcement and technical capabilities of the red-light cameras. No formal votes were recorded during the meeting, but the committee prepared to bring a draft resolution for council approval in June to finalize the red-light camera program and related amendments to the ATESD plan.