For a transportation
project in Ridgefield 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.
CURRENT ROUTE 7 WIDENING: RIDGEFIELD TO DANBURY
--- Conn DOT project 34-315 is widening Route 7 from
north of Route 35 in Ridgefield northerly to 1.2 miles north
of Starrs Plain Road in Danbury. Widening has been completed,
bringing the two lane cross section to four lanes. This is
a substitute for the old and parallel Route 7 Expressway construction
plan (see
full Route 7 corridor policy).
--- Conn DOT Project 34-260 then continues widening northward
thru Danbury to Wooster Heights Road. As of 5/162008 the design
completion date is 7/16/2008, advertising for construction
8/13/2008 and then the bid award on 11/12/2008. Construction
costs for this project are estimated at near $40,000,000.
As of early June 2008 Governor Rell has assured the area that
this funding will be available. Conn DOT contact: John Trovato
(860) 595-3294.

Leaders kick off the widening
of Route 7 between Danbury and Ridgefield on
August 15, 2005. From left are Ridgefield First Selectman
Rudy Marconi, Ridgefield
State Representative John Frey, Governor Jodi Rell, Danbury
Mayor Mark Boughton,
and Conn DOT Commissioner Stephen Korta. Photo courtesy of
the News Times.
As
for upcoming planning activities, in cooperation with HVCEO,
SWRPA and Conn DOT, Ridgefield will participate in a needs
assessment of the Route 7 corridor between Olmstead Hill Road
in Wilton and Route 35 in Ridgefield to establish an implementation
program for operational, intersection, safety, access management,
multimodal and streetscaping enhancements, all within a framework
of sensitive design.
---The
right of way owned by Conn DOT for a future Route 7 Expressway
should instead be used for a pedestrian path to be known as
the Sugar Hollow Greenway.
FUTURE
ROUTE 7 IN BRANCHVILLE:
— From the Wilton Town Line northerly to Route
102, initiate only those Route 7 capacity improvements sanctioned
by Ridgefield’s 2002 Branchville Village Plan as incorporated
into the 1999 Town Plan by the Ridgefield Planning and Zoning
Commission.

Before and after views from Ridgefield's Route
7
oriented 2002 Branchville Village Plan.
FUTURE ROUTE 35:
— Advance to design and implementation those
priority traffic improvement projects endorsed by Ridgefield
as part of HVCEO's 2005
Route 35 Traffic Study.

Looking south in Ridgefield Center at proposed
median to separate parking from Route 35 travel lane
The priority
project area for improvement as agreed by state and town officials
in January of 2006 is the section of Route 35 from the vicinity
of the intersection with Route 102 northerly to the vicinity
of Prospect Street.

A view of Route 35 as it will
appear after the
proposed landscaping and enhancement process.
FUTURE
LOCAL ROAD IMPROVEMENTS:
Study the feasibility of a
new connector between Bailey Avenue and Governor Street. Undertake
a traffic study to identify possible diversion of traffic
from Route 35 and other roadways.
FUTURE
TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS:
— Advance
Ridgefield transit projects when funding
permits.
|