New Route 7 Safety Improvements Planned After Fatal Danbury Crash

DANBURY, CT — Days after a motorcycle crash on Route 7 in Danbury claimed the lives of Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside and Brittany Islami, state officials outlined several safety improvements planned for the corridor.

State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan said he met Thursday with Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, transportation officials, municipal leaders, law enforcement officials and fellow legislators to discuss the Route 7 corridor and possible safety improvements.

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According to Allie-Brennan, CTDOT committed to multiple safety improvements, including:

• Installing centerline rumble strips from the Wilton town line to Route 35 during the current construction season
• Completing centerline rumble strip installation on the recently resurfaced section between Route 35 and Danbury
• Refreshing pavement markings to improve roadway visibility
• Installing a high-friction pavement surface in Danbury in 2027 to improve traction and reduce roadway departures
• Evaluating additional short-term improvements, including speed feedback signs

Allie-Brennan said Eucalitto also explained that Route 7 is part of the National Highway System, meaning larger improvement projects may require engineering studies, environmental reviews, coordination with the federal government and federal funding.

Questions about installing a median barrier have also surfaced in the wake of Monday's crash. According to Allie-Brennan, CTDOT said median barriers remain one possible engineering solution but must be evaluated alongside other improvements because they are not appropriate for every roadway and could require roadway widening, drainage improvements and other work.

The lawmaker said Ridgefield has already initiated a Route 7 Road Safety Audit, while Danbury is conducting a Local Safety Action Plan through the Western Connecticut Council of Governments. Those efforts are intended to identify and prioritize future engineering improvements along the corridor.

One statistic shared during Thursday's meeting underscored the roadway's history, Allie-Brennan said: Eight fatal crashes have occurred on this stretch of Route 7 since 2001, some with multiple fatalities.

"We owe it to Officer Cooper Whiteside, Brittany Islami, every family who has suffered loss on this roadway, and everyone who travels Route 7 to keep pushing for meaningful improvements," Allie-Brennan said.

The July 13 crash occurred around 2:45 a.m. on Sugar Hollow Road near the Ridgefield town line. Whiteside, 38, of Danbury, was operating a Harley-Davidson motorcycle when it collided with a Jeep Compass. Whiteside and his passenger, Islami, 34, of New Milford, were pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation by Danbury police.