Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Mergingtraffic]

I figured I would post here some road news from Connecticut!

1) I-84 widening EIS is underway this past year and a new website is up:
http://www.i-84eis.com/

1A) New CT-8 Study being started:
http://www.route8study.com/

1B) Proposal for a new stack interchange at I-84/CT-8 In Waterbury....only $$ for the study, no $$ for anything else to proceed...should wrap up this year.
http://www.i84wins.com/

2) A lot of projects have been delayed b/c of the economy...here is a partial list of the major ones:

A) Extension of Route 11 Expressway...a lot are mad over this, they are blaming the governor as not being aggressive enough.  There is $$ for preliminary engineering work to begin but it's delayed anyway.  Congressman Joe Courtney and local politicians are demanding answers. 

B) I-84 Widening between Exits 22-25A to 6-lanes.....it was supposed to start this year....the last 3 miles to go and it's delayed!

C) I-84, CT-9 & CT-4 flyover connection project.....supposed to connect CT-4 SB to CT-9 SB and add flyover (or under) ramps from I-84 to CT-4 replacing the current left exits and entrances.

D) 4-laning of US-6 & US-202 in Danbury.

E) CT-15 & US-7 full interchange project.....started in 2005 until NIMBYs sued and halted work claiming loss of character.  It would have been finished by now! Uggh!

The DOT is supposed to release a list of priority projects next month.  They are also hoping for a new transportation bill from congress.  They say if that happens, some of these projects could proceed again.

New US-7 Expressway extension in Brookfield set to open next month.  New striping is down and only flimsy "Road Closed" barriers remain.  Although, the left lane ends abruptly and you have to use Exit 12 (which is the temporary ending)...but once the new highway opens it'll be a mute issue!

Portions of the new CT-72 boulevard in Bristol on track to open in March.

CT-2 Bypass around Foxwoods opened in August as an access-fully controlled super 4!

More to come...

[kurumi]

Cool... I'm visiting family in mid-December and will make roadtrips to "the 2" and "the 7"

[Alps]

Cool... I'm visiting family in mid-December and will make roadtrips to "the 2" and "the 7"

Be on the lookout for a meet involving some of those projects.

[shadyjay]

Wondering if they'll fix the incorrect exit number sequence going south.  Also, I'm sure the button copy Phase I signage is in jeopardy.  Though if they wanted to fix the signage on Exit 12, all they gotta do is remove the "TO" from the US 202 shield.  The rest is still relevant.

[Mergingtraffic]

Wondering if they'll fix the incorrect exit number sequence going south.  Also, I'm sure the button copy Phase I signage is in jeopardy.  Though if they wanted to fix the signage on Exit 12, all they gotta do is remove the "TO" from the US 202 shield.  The rest is still relevant.

yes, the original 1978 button copy signage on US-7 north of I-84 will be replaced sometime next year...I saw it on the DOT TIP. 
Actually, the original singage that says "To US-202 New Milford" on Exit 12 NB has already been replaced with new signage.  It is still called Exit 12.  Although the exit tab is now on the right.

[Dougtone]

They stopped work due to "loss of character"?  That's a new one!

[Mergingtraffic]

They stopped work due to "loss of character"?  That's a new one!

Yes Doug, a group called the Merritt Conservancy complained that the US-7/CT-15 interchange project was ruining the character of the parkway.  The construction actually started in 2005 and they sued to halt the prject.  It would've been complete by now.

Currently, the DOT is adding shoulders and clearing away brush via stimulus dollars and the conservancy is complaining about that.
 
A state trooper I know told me that the state police requested the DOT add new signage for safety such as reflectors, curve signs etc and the conservancy complained about that too!

[shadyjay]

Why couldn't they just build the missing ramps and make it a full cloverleaf?  No flyovers or new bridges would be needed.  Or would the Main Ave. people get ticked off due to lack of access and would have to drive 1 mile out of their way to get to the parkway? 

[Mergingtraffic]

Shadyjay, actually the cloverleaf was proposed.  The DOT tried to push that through to satisfy the conservancy.  Since the cloverleaf ramps really extended out, surrounding neighborhoods voiced their displeasure with it claiming the ramps came too close to their homes.  People also cried fowl because the cloverleaf would be a traffic nightmare. (I also wrote public comments saying the colverleaf would be a mistake given outdated designs and the amount of traffic on the parkway)  So, the DOT went with a modification of the original 1992 design, where the flyover ramps wouldn't be as high. 
Here the current proposal: http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/deng/102-269&102-312/Alternate-21_with_bike_path.pdf

More details here:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=3403&q=410316

At the bottom are PDFs of all the design choices. Alternate 21 with bike path will be the new design.  Now we have to wait (ugh!) for funding.

[Mergingtraffic]

The US-7 Expressway extension is set to open sometime this week!  Complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony.  Locals call it a bypass, but it's actaully extending the expressway 3 miles!

http://www.newstimes.com/search/ci_13755330?IADID=Search-www.newstimes.com-www.newstimes.com

[shadyjay]

This link works better:
http://www.newstimes.com/default/article/Route-7-bypass-216243.php

Gonna have to try to head over there and check it out before I go back to Vermont for the winter.

[Mergingtraffic]

This link works better:
http://www.newstimes.com/default/article/Route-7-bypass-216243.php

Gonna have to try to head over there and check it out before I go back to Vermont for the winter.

It sure does....too bad the rich folk down in Wilton, Redding & Ridgefield can't open their eyes the way Brookfield did. 

[Duke87]

too bad the rich folk down in Wilton, Redding & Ridgefield can't open their eyes the way Brookfield did. 

In their defense, though, the "Super 7" freeway would not be a bypass of those towns - it would be a freeway through them. And with the surface 7 now mostly widened to four lanes between Danbury and Norwalk, it's less of an issue, anyway.

Although, the "make a right then make a left" business at Grist Mill Road is still a problem. A good freeway ends with a transition into a surface alignment - not a T intersection, especially not one that's up against a solid rock wall.

[Scott5114]

They stopped work due to "loss of character"?  That's a new one!

Yes Doug, a group called the Merritt Conservancy complained that the US-7/CT-15 interchange project was ruining the character of the parkway.  The construction actually started in 2005 and they sued to halt the prject.  It would've been complete by now.

Currently, the DOT is adding shoulders and clearing away brush via stimulus dollars and the conservancy is complaining about that.
 
A state trooper I know told me that the state police requested the DOT add new signage for safety such as reflectors, curve signs etc and the conservancy complained about that too!

Just close the damn thing! Best way to preserve the "character"!

You guys better get out and photograph every last button copy sign on US-7 while you still can!

[Mergingtraffic]

US-7 Expressway Extension set to open Thursday!  Here is a detailed article from the News Times of Danbury.

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Route-7-bypass-in-Brookfield-set-to-open-Thursday-253429.php

Here is a photo:
http://www.newstimes.com/news/articleGallery/Route-7-bypass-in-Brookfield-set-to-open-Thursday-253429.php#2

PS, the extension will compliment the new widening that converted US-7 to a 45 mph boulevard where the new expressway terminates on US-7.

Also, the original 1978 signage on US-7 north of Danbury is set to be replaced soon according to the DOT TIP.

[Alps]

US-7 Expressway Extension set to open Thursday!  Here is a detailed article from the News Times of Danbury.

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Route-7-bypass-in-Brookfield-set-to-open-Thursday-253429.php

About time.

Here is a photo:
http://www.newstimes.com/news/articleGallery/Route-7-bypass-in-Brookfield-set-to-open-Thursday-253429.php#2

PS, the extension will compliment the new widening that converted US-7 to a 45 mph boulevard where the new expressway terminates on US-7.

About time.  The residents were complaining even about widening the two-lane back when the Danbury-Norwalk freeway was originally proposed and ultimately aborted.

Also, the original 1978 signage on US-7 north of Danbury is set to be replaced soon according to the DOT TIP.

About time (yet again).  Completely unreflective by night.  I've thankfully deleted my nighttime photos, as they were illegible.

[Dougtone]

US-7 Expressway Extension set to open Thursday!  Here is a detailed article from the News Times of Danbury.

http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Route-7-bypass-in-Brookfield-set-to-open-Thursday-253429.php

Here is a photo:
http://www.newstimes.com/news/articleGallery/Route-7-bypass-in-Brookfield-set-to-open-Thursday-253429.php#2

PS, the extension will compliment the new widening that converted US-7 to a 45 mph boulevard where the new expressway terminates on US-7.

Also, the original 1978 signage on US-7 north of Danbury is set to be replaced soon according to the DOT TIP.

ConnDOT would also be wise to add a third/exit only lane on US 7 between I-84 and the Federal Road exit, especially northbound.  From when I would go check out the Brookfield Bypass under construction, the right lane going northbound would always be clogged up with cars trying to exit onto Federal Road.  There seems to be a lot of shopping opportunities at that exit.  But you can't get everything.

[Mergingtraffic]

The US-7 Bypass is open!  A great ride! One minor flaw at the end of the expressway going on US-7 North, there is no exclusive right turn lane for US-202 West.  That means traffic coming off the expressway at 55mph could rear-end you.  Why one wasn't put in is beyond me....that seems to be common sense.  Everything else is fantastic. 

http://hvceo.org/transport/7BrookfieldBypassPlan2005.pdf


Plus double left-turn and right-turn lanes where applicable.  Nice job!

[Dougtone]

The US-7 Bypass is open!  A great ride! One minor flaw at the end of the expressway going on US-7 North, there is no exclusive right turn lane for US-202 West.  That means traffic coming off the expressway at 55mph could rear-end you.  Why one wasn't put in is beyond me....that seems to be common sense.  Everything else is fantastic. 

http://hvceo.org/transport/7BrookfieldBypassPlan2005.pdf


Plus double left-turn and right-turn lanes where applicable.  Nice job!

My guess is that when the bypass was being planned, the idea was that traffic taking US 202 from US 7 northbound between the ends of the new bypass would exit US 7 northbound at Exit 12, rather than proceed to the end of the new bypass then turn.

In any case, I plan on checking out the new bypass ASAP.

[Mergingtraffic]

The new CT-72 Boulevard is set to open up early next year.  The state wanted to open a portion this Fall.  But the towns said wait and open the whole thing at once citing traffic problems for the side streets.


The CT-72 Boulevard is set to pick up after the expressway ends.  It should make for an easier transition into town. 

Here is an overview:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/deng/17_137/Route72_Overview.pdf

[yakra]

Very cool. I can see the RoW taking shape in Google Earth. Keep us posted when it opens.

[Mergingtraffic]

The New Haven Register has an article detailing the progress of the new Q-Bridge on I-95 in CT.

The project entails widening I-95 for about 9 miles, building 2-lane connections to and from I-91, adding a CT-34 flyover and the new 10-lane (from the current 6-lane) Q-Bridge itself.  I forget what the actual name-type is....but it is the first of it's kind in the U.S.

The 1st side of the Q-Bridge is supposed to be open in 2012 and the whole thing open a couple years after that!

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/12/20/news/metro/doc4b2e0ebf413a9561307614.txt

[Dougtone]

The US-7 Bypass is open!  A great ride! One minor flaw at the end of the expressway going on US-7 North, there is no exclusive right turn lane for US-202 West.  That means traffic coming off the expressway at 55mph could rear-end you.  Why one wasn't put in is beyond me....that seems to be common sense.  Everything else is fantastic. 

http://hvceo.org/transport/7BrookfieldBypassPlan2005.pdf


Plus double left-turn and right-turn lanes where applicable.  Nice job!

My guess is that when the bypass was being planned, the idea was that traffic taking US 202 from US 7 northbound between the ends of the new bypass would exit US 7 northbound at Exit 12, rather than proceed to the end of the new bypass then turn.

In any case, I plan on checking out the new bypass ASAP.

I finally drove the new US 7 Brookfield Bypass yesterday, and I must say that a fine job was done with the bypass, including the use of rock as a sound wall.

[Mergingtraffic]

Article about the delays of Route 11 Expressway & widening of I-95 and the prioritized list of projects b/c of low funding:

http://www.theday.com/article/20100122/NWS12/301229849/1019&town=

Alos a list of prioritized projects in CT:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dcommunications/misc/TICP2010_2014.pdf

Letter to FWHA, related to the above list:
http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dcommunications/misc/Letter_to_Federal_Partners.pdf

[Alps]

I finally drove the new US 7 Brookfield Bypass yesterday, and I must say that a fine job was done with the bypass, including the use of rock as a sound wall.

I just drove it myself - agree completely.  Very scenic, and designed to an appropriate speed.  It ends very well, tying into an extended four-lane divided arterial at the north end that lasts for several miles (up to 7/202 split I think?).  There will be video forthcoming sometime in the first half of this year...

In other CT news, I spied around the CT 72 boulevard.  The least finished part is Pine St., which is basically still just Pine St.  The bridge at the west end (such that 72 continues across 229) is done but the approaches are just a bunch of dirt right now (at least mostly graded dirt).  The boulevard east of Pine St. is almost completely done - pedestrian overpass, signals half in (only facing 72, not the crossing roads), what looks like a combo sound/retaining wall (it's green).  Basically, I probably could have driven straight onto the unfinished boulevard from Pine and come out straight onto 72 with no problems - it just needs some stripes.