1.
BROOKFIELD'S NEAR
FUTURE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS:
The
are no "near future" projects currently scheduled
by Conn DOT for Brookfield.
However,
note
that the long awaited (1977-2009) Route 7 Bypass (see
map of Bypass) was opened to traffic on November
19, 2009. This major construction is in accordance with HVCEO's
overall
Route 7 North Policy.

Governor Jodi Rell at Route 7 Bypass
opening ceremony on November 19, 2009.
HVCEO Photo by David Hannon
In
addition a major realignment and the introduction of signalization
at the intersection of Silvermine Road and Route 202 was completed
in the summer of 2009.
COMPLETE ROUTE 7
CLOSURE TRAFFIC DIVERSION PLAN
This emergency management action plan will be completed
by DEMHS 5, COGCNV and HVCEO during 2010.

Eighteen hour expressway closure requiring traffic diversion.
State
Police, Conn DOT and Brookfield officials will then rely upon
one coordinated set of diversion instructions for managing
increased traffic due to the temporary closing of expressway
lanes and exits during a Route 7 Expressway emergency.
2.
BROOKFIELD'S LONGER
RANGE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS:
EXAMINE POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE
ROUTE 7 & ROUTE 133 HALF INTERCHANGE
After local and regional traffic patterns have made
their adjustments to the traffic draw of the recently completed
Route 7 Bypass, consider undertaking a feasibility study to
determine the need for and impact of a northbound exit ramp
and a southbound entrance ramp ("half interchange")
from the Route 7 Expressway to Route 133.
See discussion of this concept in the Regional Transportation
Plan section entitled Route
7 North Policy.

Red
shows the Route 7 Expressway as recently completed thru Brookfield.
At Route 133 (yellow area and circle) the 2001 Brookfield
Town Plan proposes
to add a half interchange with Route 7 ramps to and from the
south.
FUTURE I-84 MAINLINE WIDENING
Cooperate with adjacent municipalities towards the
completion of the on-going Conn DOT I-84
Environmental Impact Statement process.

Insure that environmental impacts from proposed widening of
the 0.35 miles of I-84 in Brookfield are acceptable. Maintain
awareness within the municipality that a free flowing I-84
near Brookfield is vital for local economic health and future
business development.

Economic development in Brookfield
is
dependent upon uncongested I-84 traffic nearby.
After
completion of the I-84 EIS, widen I-84 from 2 to 3 lanes in
each direction thru Brookfield in conformance with the Conn
DOT 2000 I-84 Plan.
See map of planned
I-84 Exit 8 improvements in Danbury and planned
I-84
Exit 9 improvements in Newtown, both of which
will serve nearby Brookfield.
FUTURE ROUTE 202 IMPROVEMENTS
FROM WHITE TURKEY ROAD TO RT 133
The original concept for Conn DOT Project Number 18-124 was
to include lane widening and improved lane continuity to address
safety concerns along this busy commercial section of Federal
Road. This is a regionally significant shopping area.
The proposed upgrade was to have four 12 foot lanes, one central
turning lane and two 4 foot shoulders. The total cross sectional
width overall would be 68 feet (12,12,12,12,12, 4, and 4).

A
future Brookfield project is the
addition of turning lanes, wider shoulders, walkways
and bus stops along the main Route 202 commercial area.
A realigned Gray's Bridge Road on new alignment westerly 500
feet to the traffic signal at Kohl’s driveway was also
considered as part of the project:

Conn DOT plan for future relocation
of Gray's Bridge Road
westerly to Route 202 to improve traffic circulation in southern
Brookfield.
But due to budget shortfalls late in 2009 Conn DOT removed
federal funding for this project from the HVCEO 2010-2013
Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
A late 2009 Conn DOT statement on the scaled down future of
the project is as follows:
"The Department had developed a scope of work that included
providing a fifth lane in the section that is currently four
lanes as well as improvements in the area between the existing
four lane section and Route 133. It also included realigning
Grays Bridge Road north to a new intersection with Route 202
which would have provided significant operational improvements.
The proposals would have required taking two businesses and
would have cost about $18 million. The Department brought
this to the Scope Committee but the proposal was rejected
due to high cost. Since then, the Department had to prioritize
all projects due to significant funding shortages, and this
project was felt to be non-fundable at the $18 million level.
The Department
is currently evaluating options to scale the project back
and improve one or two of the worst intersections at a reasonable
cost. There will still be a challenge identifying funding
for any level of scope but staff is investigating the options."
Conn DOT
Project Manager William Britnell commented further on 12/9/2009
that the two Route 202 locations currently under consideration
for improvement are the intersection of Route 202 at Old New
Milford Road (south junction) and the Route 202 intersection
at the Costco Driveway and Sandy Lane.
"The Old New Milford Road intersection is the highest
numbered SLOSSS (high accident) location within the project
limits (although almost all the accidents are rear-ends on
the Old New Milford Road approach and most are only property
damage accidents). It has the highest number of accidents
of any intersection other than at Candlewood Lake Road.
I am examining the realignment of Old New Milford Road to
intersect Route 202 at closer to a right angle, to eliminate
the shallow angle that currently exists. The Costco intersection
had the most head-on turn accidents and therefore would seem
to benefit the most from the inclusion of a left-turn lane
on Route 202.
The Old New Milford Road intersection would require significant
right of way cost. The Costco intersection would likely be
less expensive but there are only about half as many accidents
there as compared to Old New Milford Road.
We are trying to select one or two locations where we can
obtain significant accident reduction at a reasonable cost
and with minimal design time. I am not examining the Candlewood
Lake Road intersection at present as it would be very expensive
to improve and would take a long time to obtain the needed
permit approvals. However, I am open to ideas if the Town
has any suggestions."
In relation
to Route 202 issues, note that in
2009 HVCEO completed a Brookfield
Route 202 Complete Streets Bus Stop and Pedestrian Plan.
The goal was to merge it into the Conn DOT Route 202 redesign
process described above and then to be state and federally
funded. An excerpt is shown below:

Excerpt from 2009
Brookfield Route 202 Complete Streets Plan.
Red identifies proposed walkways, crosswalks are in black
and white, and proposed bus stops are yellow stars.
Whatever
intersections are selected for improvement by Conn DOT on
Route 202, Conn DOT should be requested to include pedestrian
and transit elements from the HVCEO Route 202 Complete Streets
plan above.
Note
that in recent years both the nation and Connecticut have
been gripped by the pedestrian and Smart Growth oriented “Complete
Streets Movement.” From this new perspective, roadway
corridors can be improved by retrofitting with full provision
for pedestrians and transit passengers. Curbs and access points
can be rethought to maximize safety and reduce travel.

And
Brookfield Town officials should be aware that in July of
2009 Governor Rell signed Senate Bill 735, Connecticut’s
Complete Streets law. The new law mandates that “accommodations
for all users shall be a routine part of the planning, design,
construction and operating activities” of all state
highways.
Overall,
a course of action for the Town can be to advocate for improvements
to the the high accident rate Route 202 intersections that
are priorities within this project. As noted above the contact
at Conn DOT is Project Manager William Britnell at 860-594-3283,
william.britnell@ct.gov.
FUTURE ROUTE 202
IMPROVEMENT AT ROUTE 25 INTERSECTION
Make changes to Route 202 in coordination with the
the construction of mixed use development.

Excerpt
from Brookfield Village Center Plan showing redesign
of Route 202 in the Route 25 "Four Corners" intersection
area.
UPDATE ROUTE 202 DRIVEWAY
AND CURB CUT MANAGEMENT PLAN
These curb cut plans consist of a series of adjacent maps
showing all properties, all driveways, and the recommended
reorganization of driveways as properties develop or redevelop.
Implementation comes thru use of the maps by local planning
and zoning commissions and by Conn DOT administrators for
state roads when conditions of approval are set.
A text
supplements the maps, giving traffic engineering advice for
each property where there is a recommendation for a change
of driveway. These mapped driveway standards appear in the
zoning regulations of Bethel, Brookfield, New Milford, Newtown,
Redding and Ridgefield, all prepared by HVCEO. See regional
map of completed plans.

Excerpt from the 1994 Brookfield
Route 202 Curb Cut Management Plan.
Black indicates future driveway closures, letters are keyed
to related recommendations.
The
Brookfield Zoning Commission was one of the pioneers in the
Region in the use of this regulatory technique, adopting as
a standard within its regulations a Route 202 curb cut plan
in 1984.
HVCEO then updated the 1984 curb plan for the Commission in
1994. A second update should soon be requested of HVCEO.
3.
BROOKFIELD'S OTHER
TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS:
FUTURE
PEDESTRIAN FEATURES
IN BROOKFIELD'S 2001 TOWN PLAN:
The Brookfield Plan of Conservation and Development
proposes the development of “a walkable village type
development pattern in the Four Corners area,” including
the establishment of “a network of pedestrian sidewalks”
there, and also “pedestrian friendly streetscape”
and “interconnected parking areas and pedestrian walkways.”
The Brookfield
Plan is admirable in that it contains a definitive townwide
Sidewalk Plan for the municipality, using color to denote
primary and secondary sidewalk areas and recommended future
connections.
The main Federal Road commercial area is identified as a primary
sidewalk area, a detailed
sidewalk plan for which has recently been completed
by HVCEO.

Excerpt
from the Sidewalk Plan within Brookfield's 2001 Town Plan.
Orange denotes a Primary Sidewalk Area and yellow a Secondary
Sidewalk Area, while red lines and arrows identify "Future
Connections."
MULTI-USE
TRAIL FROM
TOWN HALL TO FOUR CORNERS
Construct Still River Multi-Use Trail from Town Hall north
to the Four Corners. This
project received the top regional priority for federal Enhancement
program funding. A Conn DOT grant has been awarded to Brookfield
for the construction of this combined transportation and recreation
project.

Design template for federally funded
Brookfield Multi-Use Trail.
This project
is part of a regionally coordinated Still
River Trail Plan.
4.
BROOKFIELD'S SHORT RANGE
BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS:
The
HVCEO 2010-2013 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
indicates federal funds are reserved
for modernizing the fleet of HART
vehicles serving Brookfield.

Excerpt
from HART
regional bus route map
showing service along Brookfield's Lower Route 202.
5.
BROOKFIELD'S LONGER RANGE
BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS:
(Excerpts
from 2010 Bus Service Improvement Plan)
BROOKFIELD
FIXED ROUTE HART BUS
Goals include extending the weekday service span on the 7
New Milford Route (which serves Brookfield via Route 7) from
6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the provision of service with 30 minute
headways between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
On
weekends, extending the Saturday service span from 5 p.m.
to 10 p.m. and implementation of new Sunday service hourly
between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the route are planned.
Modify the 4 Brookfield route to operate between Danbury and
Brookfield hourly via Danbury Hospital. This route currently
operates weekdays 9 am and 3 pm, and on Sunday between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., leaving Danbury via Osborne Street, Germantown,
and Federal Road, and terminating at the Regional YMCA. Hours
on this route should be extended to match the rest of the
urban fixed route as described above.
BROOKFIELD
SWEETHART BUS
Provide Brookfield's seniors and disabled with additional
weekday SweetHART dial-a-ride service by extending the service
day from the current 5 pm to 6 pm. Add a second bus during
peak travel times Between 8 and 10 a.m. to better serve the
needs of riders.
For the long term, reduce costs by establishing a new regional
SweetHART service that would serve Brookfield and nearby towns
in a more efficient manner than the present town by town approach.
7.
BROOKFIELD'S LONGER TERM
RAIL SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS:
POTENTIAL BROOKFIELD RAIL STATION
A Conn
DOT Danbury Branch Line Study will make recommendations
for additional parking at each station including at a potential
future Brookfield Station.
Options
for station development in Brookfield include 1) using the
old station area near the Four Corners or 2) across from the
Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company at 92 Pocono Road, as shown
below:

Option
1 above: rehabilitate old
station area near Four Corners.
SEE
RELATED TEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Option
2 above: construct a
new station on Pocono Road.
BROOKFIELD
COMMUTER RAIL
The
current ConnDOT study of the Danbury Branch Line is developing
recommendations for reestablishment of passenger rail between
Danbury and New Milford. Long term, a new Rail Station may
be located in Brookfield to allow for service north to New
Milford, and south to Danbury and Norwalk. The existing historic
station stop on Route 25 near the intersection with Route
7 is one possibility for the new Brookfield station.
As the study nears completion, the selection of a location,
or decision not to have a station in Broofield, will be finalized.
Any new new station should be integrated with HART services
and if appropriate, pedestrian access plans within the Brookfield
Village. A station stop at 92 Pocono Road, opposite the Brookfield
Fire Station, is also being considered.
To the extent feasible facilitate Brookfield's commuter
travel patterns by HART bus and passenger rail.
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