A public hearing will continue tonight by the Danbury Planning Commission as the group goes over an application for two new restaurants at the mall.  Shake Shack and Longhorn Steakhouse would be located in a parking lot between Backus Avenue and Ring Road, where the carnival is typically located during the summer months. 

There is a crosswalk, but Traffic Engineer Joe Balskus says it's in an awkward spot between drive aisles.  The application proposes removing that crosswalk and moving it to another, more logical location.  But Balskus says they are widening the road to five lanes, and doesn't recommend a sidewalk to cross that length.  He notes that mid-block crosswalks are the most dangerous crosswalks there are. 

The natural intersection crossing in this case poses its own challenges.  There are signs that say 'no pedestrian crossing' and doesn't have accommodations for pedestrians. 

To mitigate traffic tie ups, the applicant proposes adding a left turn lane into the site and extend the current left lane in the opposite direction.  Proponents of the application believe people will drive from one mall parking lot to the restaurant parking and say there is no easy way to connect existing sidewalks to the proposed parking area.