7th St. & Walnut St. Southbound Left Turn Lane Traffic Study

The purpose of the southbound left turn lane closure onto Walnut St. from 7th St. is to conduct a data collection study on intersection safety and efficiency. The closure will last three weeks and temporary traffic control devices – such as barrels and cones – will be in place to direct cars away from the turn. This study will help gather valuable information to better improve 7th St. as a part of the roadway improvements, anticipated to take place in 2024.

The goal is to improve pedestrian safety, traffic flow and mitigate crashes. Although there has been a significant reduction in crash data since installing the newer traffic pattern in 2021, data was collected again this year and collectors witnessed several near-miss vehicle/pedestrian/cycling incidents and continued problems with traffic flow. The Town of Windsor wants to see if this intersection can be made safer and wants conclusive data to drive their decisions. To collect data, there will be traffic counter equipment installed to analyze vehicular and pedestrian behavior. We'll collect data before the closure, during the closure, and after the closure. If engineers see that more modifications to the intersection are warranted in the data, making it substantially safer for all, they know how to proceed. If data remains inconclusive, our engineers will continue to look at best practices, test possible solutions, and figure the best way to improve this intersection before permanently changing the traffic flow. Either way, safety is the heart of this intersection study.