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.