A recent crash on South Windsor’s major highway Route 5 has left a citizen in critical condition, raising questions about the traffic and speed of the road.
Route 5, known to South Windsor residents as John Fitch Boulevard, is a state-wide highway that crosses through the left side of South Windsor after intersecting with Interstate 291. The four-lane highway passes by popular South Windsor locations like Nomads, South Windsor Arena, and the new plaza on Sullivan Avenue with restaurants like Hartford Baking.
“I use Route 5 every day going to work,” South Windsor High School senior Kaitlyn Roy said. The Prowl then asked Roy about the traffic on the road. “The road itself isn’t bad,” Roy told the Prowl.
Other members of the community presented a different take on the road.
“I’ve noticed the increase in traffic on Route 5, especially around the 291 traffic lights,” said South Windsor resident Zach Bassett. “It’s unfortunate that this increase will inevitably lead to more minor car accidents (or major ones, as happened just a few days ago), but all things considered, I view the increase in traffic as a reflection of a growing and prospering town, of which I’m in favor and proud to be a resident.”
The Route runs parallel to the train tracks, and Pleasant Valley Road closely connects the busy highway with residential roads like Pepin Place and Hilton Drive. While the Route is useful for quick travel across the town, the crashes in recent years have drawn attention to the road.
On January 5, 2026, a citizen was hit by a car on Route 5. According to NBC Connecticut, “police said the pedestrian was taken to the hospital and is listed in critical condition.” They also reported temporary delays as the road was closed and then re-opened to the public.
The South Windsor Crash Data Sheet (see below), revised in July 2025, showcased important data about car accidents to the public. On the ‘Fatal and Serious Crashes’ page, about 20 ‘suspected serious injuries’ and two ‘fatal injuries’ were reported on Route 5. On other maps, the Route displayed 5 ‘high injury intersections’ and over 5 ‘high injury corridors’. In other words, these are essentially areas where crashes are most likely to happen.
This document also contained an analysis of data from 2019-2023, determining that in all years (with the exception of 2020) the state-owned roads, like Route 5, had an equal or higher number of crashes compared to municipality owned roads.
Even South Windsor High School students have experienced these hazardous conditions.
“I was actually driving home from dance when the crash the other day happened and I saw the ambulance and they were redirecting traffic,” said SWHS junior Rayna Reed. “I think it’s so dangerous how fast people drive because the speed limit is 55 but people go faster than they do on the highway. A lot of people race and I think there needs to be some kind of better enforcement to prevent this.”
Residents are encouraged to remember to follow the speed limit on Route 5, and remember that reckless driving on such an accessible and high-risk road can be extremely dangerous to themselves and others.
