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Regional Boards => Northeast => Topic started by: corco on January 17, 2012, 10:14:35 PM

Title: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: corco on January 17, 2012, 10:14:35 PM
I heard a rumor a few years back that there aren't any shared center turn lanes in Connecticut. A Hartforder (Hartfordite?) informed me today that there is one in Hartford on New Park Avenue (http://g.co/maps/cffn2), but in extensive searching I can't find any others.

Does anybody know of any others?
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: corco on January 17, 2012, 11:50:33 PM
Courtesy of a friend of mine who is a closet roadgeek


http://g.co/maps/j6dvt
http://g.co/maps/g73mz
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: kurumi on January 18, 2012, 12:00:12 AM
I found some on Franklin and Wethersfield Avenue (though so did your friend), and another on Locust Street north of old US 6: http://g.co/maps/e9kf2
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: shadyjay on January 18, 2012, 01:41:12 AM
First center-turn lane I ever remember seeing was on East Main Street in Meriden... see http://www.google.com/maps?q=meriden,+ct&hl=en&ll=41.525734,-72.756906&spn=0.000682,0.00142&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.677964,93.076172&vpsrc=6&hnear=Meriden,+New+Haven,+Connecticut&t=h&z=20
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: wytout on January 18, 2012, 06:30:46 AM
Hartford Turnpike (SR 30) in Vernon CT.

http://www.google.com/maps?q=route+30+and+dobson+rd+vernon+ct&hl=en&ll=41.82692,-72.490717&spn=0.000599,0.001128&sll=41.827209,-72.489133&sspn=0.009578,0.018046&vpsrc=6&hnear=Connecticut+30+%26+Dobson+Rd,+Vernon,+Tolland,+Connecticut+06066&t=h&z=20

http://www.google.com/maps?q=route+30+and+dobson+rd+vernon+ct&hl=en&ll=41.826832,-72.490561&spn=0.000765,0.001742&sll=41.827209,-72.489133&sspn=0.009578,0.018046&vpsrc=0&hnear=Connecticut+30+%26+Dobson+Rd,+Vernon,+Tolland,+Connecticut+06066&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.826892,-72.490642&panoid=p2ZYIUEXsu1_kdMv6fKdKw&cbp=12,67.9,,0,9.42&z=20
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: Duke87 on January 18, 2012, 05:21:27 PM
CT 137 in Stamford, although folks from out of town often mistake it as an area they're not supposed to enter, since that is the way it is striped - but in practice it's a center turn lane. All locals use it as such (even the police) and no one is ever ticketed for doing so.

http://g.co/maps/jmeun (http://g.co/maps/jmeun)
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: wytout on January 18, 2012, 07:16:00 PM
Quote from: Duke87 on January 18, 2012, 05:21:27 PM
CT 137 in Stamford, although folks from out of town often mistake it as an area they're not supposed to enter, since that is the way it is striped - but in practice it's a center turn lane. All locals use it as such (even the police) and no one is ever ticketed for doing so.

http://g.co/maps/jmeun (http://g.co/maps/jmeun)

Which brings up a good point.  Crosshatching in a neutral/median area is generally considered guidance/optional.  I'm not saying there is any danger on this particular roadway, but if in fact this area should not be used for turning for safety reasons, ConnDOT should emply such crosshatch markings Such as page 355 of the 2009 Mutcd Figure 3B-5, so as to avoid confusion as to the purpose of the median area.

But we know how ConnDOT feels about crosshatching in general.  It's definitely the exception to the rule in this state.
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: Mergingtraffic on January 18, 2012, 08:13:31 PM
as for state roads, there is a section of US-1 in Orange between CT-162 and CT-114.  The following all have short stretches of a 2WLTL:  CT-5 in New Haven, CT-10 in Cheshire, CT-66 in Middletown, CT-159 north of Hartford and I think CT-83 or CT-30 has a short stretch.

There was also a portion of US-1 in Milford that is slated to get a short one in between other left turn lane improvements.  This project was put to bid late last year.

There is also another stretch on US-1 that will continue it from CT-114 to the Milford town line.  This project is stalled due to lack of funds according to the DOT.
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: iwishiwascanadian on January 18, 2012, 10:54:46 PM
It's Hartfordite.  They are all over Hartford now.  The City put them up after they did repaving.  They're on Main Street (in the North End), Tower Avenue, Wethersfield Avenue, Franklin Avenue and Maple Avenue.  For a while a lot of people had no idea how to use them but now drivers have begun to figure out their purpose.  I'm not a fan of them because in many cases they have narrowed the street from two lanes in each direction to one in each direction with the Center Turn Lane and a Bike Lane.  The CTL has eliminated on-street parking and the bike lanes aren't used enough IMO to justify the taking up of a lane. 
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: Mergingtraffic on January 19, 2012, 03:28:29 PM
Does anybody know why the state DOT is so reluctant to put thse in?  It's idiodic especially on CT-137 in Stamford when they have the actual lane there but they chose not to utilize it.  It's not even an exclusive left turn lane.  It's nothing except at intersections. 

Other surrounding states use them and you can bet if CT-137 were in states like TN, TX, VA it would be a 2WLTL. 
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: kurumi on January 19, 2012, 04:37:59 PM
It looks like Hartford's bloom of CTLs is part of a recent (c. 2005) citywide traffic calming effort: http://www.hartfordinfo.org/issues/documents/neighborhoods/htfd_courant_050805.asp

One interesting thing they have is removable traffic tables (long hump at the same level as the sidewalk). They remove these in winter to avoid having the snowplows chew them up.
Title: Re: Shared Center Turn Lanes in Connecticut
Post by: Alps on January 20, 2012, 12:37:27 AM
Quote from: wytout on January 18, 2012, 06:30:46 AM
Hartford Turnpike (SR 30) in Vernon CT.

http://www.google.com/maps?q=route+30+and+dobson+rd+vernon+ct&hl=en&ll=41.82692,-72.490717&spn=0.000599,0.001128&sll=41.827209,-72.489133&sspn=0.009578,0.018046&vpsrc=6&hnear=Connecticut+30+%26+Dobson+Rd,+Vernon,+Tolland,+Connecticut+06066&t=h&z=20

http://www.google.com/maps?q=route+30+and+dobson+rd+vernon+ct&hl=en&ll=41.826832,-72.490561&spn=0.000765,0.001742&sll=41.827209,-72.489133&sspn=0.009578,0.018046&vpsrc=0&hnear=Connecticut+30+%26+Dobson+Rd,+Vernon,+Tolland,+Connecticut+06066&t=h&layer=c&cbll=41.826892,-72.490642&panoid=p2ZYIUEXsu1_kdMv6fKdKw&cbp=12,67.9,,0,9.42&z=20
THAT's the one I knew I remembered!