There are many ways to get to school in the morning: some students take the bus, some get dropped off or drive themselves, and others walk to school from their homes. Transportation is essential for students to get to school, but above all it is important that they get to school safely.
Ayers Road leads to the entrance of South Windsor High School and is also the main road students utilize as their walking path. Students also use this road to go to food shops like Subway and Dunkin Donuts on Sullivan Ave. The citizens of South Windsor also use this road for daily exercise, or to access Nevers Park.
Ayers Road is considered a very busy road during the morning when students are getting dropped off, and in the afternoon when students are being picked up from school.
Despite being a main road, Ayers lacks the basic infrastructure of sidewalks, forcing students to walk dangerously close to oncoming traffic. It’s common sense that busy roads should have sidewalks to ensure the safety of pedestrians, yet Ayers remains an exception.
“There have been sidewalks at both ends of Ayers, but there’s a missing segment in the middle. It is such a busy road for students to be walking on, especially with so many student drivers sharing the road with the walking students,” said South Windsor resident, Becka Hall.
So why hasn’t there been at least a plan to establish sidewalks on Ayers Road?
Well, the town was awarded 675,000 dollars in the 2020 LOTCIP (Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program) projects. This money was specifically for sidewalks on Nevers Road, Foster Street and part of Buckland Road, which was part of the overall sidewalk connectivity plan.
According to South Windsor’s Director of Public Works, Vincent Stenson, the plans for the sidewalk connectivity plan are in the final design stages with the CRCOG (Capital Region Council Governments) and the CT DOT (Connecticut Department of Transportation). They hope to have the plans approved and start construction in the spring of 2025.
They also plan to install pedestrian rapid flashing beacons at the crosswalks located near the entrance of SWHS.
Two SWHS students, Samiksha Mahenwaran and, Elizabeth Sinclair started a petition to raise awareness of the lack of attention given to Ayers Road. The petition has up to 205 signatures and support from additional students and pedestrians.
“This will benefit everyone, people who stay after school and like to travel off campus before games and after clubs, and the citizens who like to walk on the street on their way to the park,” Mahenwaran commented.
Whether these sidewalks are built now or later, one thing is clear: the safety of South Windsor’s students and residents should no longer be overlooked.
