| For
a transportation project in Bethel to obtain a commitment
of federal transportation funds, it must first appear on the
HVCEO maintained list below.
This listing also assists local officials in tracking the
progress of current improvements,
and planning and advocating for future
improvements as well.
FUTURE ROUTE 6: INTERSECTION UPGRADES
--- Improve capacity and safety at the Route 6 intersection
with Garella Road & Sand Hill Road
---
Further to the east, improve capacity and safety at the intersection
at Benedict Road & Hawleyville Road. The intersection
should be realigned to as close to a "T" as the
geometry will allow.”

---
Assist with funding the Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission's
2007 Route 6 Plan.
--- Develop additional improvement projects from the Route
6 Overview as needed, which will be updated to
include the Town's 2007 Route 6 Pl an.
FUTURE ROUTE 53: SAFETY AND CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS
— Make safety improvements
from Mansfield Street south to Route 302,
using as technical background this Route
53 Overview.
— For the long range, as recommended by HVCEO Planning
Bulletin 103, develop roundabouts at intersections of Route
53 with Fleetwood Avenue and then Route 53 with Route 302
(Greenwood Avenue).
Concerning the roundabouts, The town requests that HVCEO proceed
from the concept plan stage to the more detailed feasibility
study stage, including public involvement, this more complex
study to be funded by the HVCEO transportation planning program
as soon as possible. This
study will test the concepts against Conn DOT’s roundabout
criteria. The completed feasibility study should then be submitted
to the Conn DOT Project Development Unit with an application
for funding.

--- Concerning Route 53 south
of Bethel Center, the Town will pursue roadway classification
changes and raising the height of the Danbury Branch railroad
overpass to allow for the free flow of all legal truck heights.”
FUTURE ROUTE I-84: EXIT 8
UPGRADE AND MAINLINE WIDENING
— Widen I-84 from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction
thru Bethel between the Danbury Line and the Brookfield Line
in conformance with Conn DOT 2000 I-84 Plan. Upgrade Exits
7 and 8 in conformance with the Conn DOT 2000 Plan at a cost
of $37,570,000. See full
map of planned Exit 8 improvement, also the excerpt
directly below.

At present northbound Payne Road
traffic has a circuitous routing to enter I-84 at Exit 8.
Conn DOT will solve this difficulty by adding a new bridge
across I-84 directly
across from Payne Road, also relocating the Exit 8 eastbound
on ramp
eastward (present ramp to be removed shown in blue).
CURRENT ROUTE 302: INTERSECTION IMPORVEMENT
AT RT 58
— Improve the turning
radius from Route 58 northbound to Route 302 eastbound, Conn
DOT Project No. 0009-H017.
FUTURE
ROUTE 302: VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS
— Complete second and final phase of Downtown
Bethel Streetscape Plan, 1998 cost estimate is $612,000. Develop
additional improvement projects from the Route
302 Overview as needed.
CURRENT
LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT: PLUMTREES
ROAD BRIDGE OVER EAST SWAMP BROOK AND ADJACENT
INTERSECTION AT WHITTLESEY DR. & WALNUT HILL RD.
--- Conn DOT Project 9-88 involves the replacement
of the Plumtrees Road Bridge (#3706) over East Swamp Brook
and the realignment of the two “T” intersections
of Whittlesey Drive and Walnut Hill Road with Plumtrees Road
to be opposite each other.
The signalization
of this intersection will be modified for the new configuration
and project activities will be coordinated with utility relocation
activities.
As of 7/2007 the completion date for project design not known
as Conn DOt is waiting to see if new Army Corps of Engineers
bridge guidelines will apply to the project.
The construction contract award date is not scheduled. This
project will require one construction season for completion.
As of 7/2007 construction costs are estimated at near $2,500,000.
Conn DOT Contact: Nancy Riggott (860) 594-3224.
CURRENT
LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT: REPLACE
WALNUT HILL ROAD BRIDGE OVER LIMEKILN BROOK
AND RECONSTRUCT PART OF WALNUT HILL ROAD
--- Conn DOT Project 9-91 involves the replacement of the
Walnut Hill Road bridge over Lime Kiln Brook and the reconstruction
of Walnut Hill Road from the bridge to Taylor Road. The final
design plan is scheduled for completion in November of 2006.
Environmental permits will be required for this bridge replacement
project and may take 6 months. Title search for right-of -way
negotiation activity is complete. Right-of way negotiations
are scheduled for the Spring of 2006 and could take up to
one year to complete.
The Town’s
consulting engineer for this project is scheduled to submit
an application in March of 2006 to CT DEP for a Flood Management
Certification permit. The permitting process could take six
to nine months to complete.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2007.
The time to complete construction may depend in part on any
restrictions that may be imposed on work within the floodway.
The project budget is currently estimated at $1,1400,000.
Conn DOT Contact: Scott Roberts (860) 594-3232.
FUTURE
LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENT: INTERSECTION
REALIGNMENT OF WALNUT HILL ROAD AT HOYT ROAD
Conn DOT Project 9-93 involves the improvement of the intersection
of Walnut Hill Road with Hoyt Road to reduce the accident
rate at this intersection. The final design plan for this
small scale improvement project was scheduled for completion
in the Fall of 2006.
However this project was cancelled by the Town in March of
2006 due to the increasing local matching cost share moving
beyond its resources. The Town may seek to reactivate the
project in the future if a higher percentage of its total
cost can be obtained from state and federal rather than local
funds. Conn DOT Contact: Scott Roberts (860) 594-3232.
FUTURE
TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS IN BETHEL:
— Advance Bethel
transit projects when funding permits.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ON BETHEL TRAFFIC:
Proceed to the October 2005 report entitled Bethel,
CT Traffic Issues.
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