ROUTE 6 IN BETHEL OVERVIEW
The Route 6 designation is joined with I-84 eastbound up until I-84 Exit 8, where it leaves that Interstate and continues eastward thru northern Bethel.

Route 6 in Bethel is part of the original thru road to points east, paralleled by I-84 after 1962. This meant the fortunate removal of most thru traffic from Route 6 in Bethel after that date.

The length of Route 6 thru the Town is about one and two thirds miles, after which it continues into Newtown and rejoins I-84 at Exit 10. All of Route 6 in Bethel is known as Stony Hill Road and is designated by Conn DOT as a minor arterial roadway. HART's Bus Route 2 serves the roadway from Danbury easterly to the Big Y Shopping Center.

From the Conn DOT perspective, important intersections on Route 6 will be those at any other Conn DOT arterial or collector designated roadways interacting with it. There are three such intersections; with Payne Road as a collector route, with Hawleyville Road also as a collector route, and to the east with Old Hawleyville Road as a minor arterial route.

Conn DOT’s 2005 estimated average daily traffic volumes show a decline as Route 6 moves easterly thru Bethel. Volumes are quite high at 37,800 for both sides of the combined I-84 Exit 8 rotary at the border with Danbury.

Then they drop down to about 16,400 from Sky Edge Drive to Hawleyville Road, 12,000 from there easterly over to Old Hawleyville Road, and then an estimated 9,600 at the Newtown Town Line.

Concerning signal coordination in the Route 6 corridor, a 2004 HVCEO report entitled “Evaluation of Traffic Signal Coordination” documents existing signal coordination along Route 6 for the traffic signal at Old Sherman Turnpike in nearby Danbury, east to the signal at Payne Road, Target Driveway, Garella Road, and finally at the Benedict Road-Hawleyville Road intersection.

Traffic progression between these lights is facilitated by time based coordination rather than connecting wires.

According to the 2004 signal report “The easternmost intersection of Route 6/Old Hawleyville Road is not a suitable candidate for coordination." Note that when Exit 8 is upgraded by Conn DOT then the Conn DOT I-84 Plan's proposed new traffic signal at Sky Edge Drive should be linked into this system.

Some traffic forecasts for Route 6 were produced by HVCEO in its 1993 report entitled “Bethel Route 6 Traffic Management Plan.” That Plan projected the need for eventually widening the Route 6 cross section from 2 to 4 lanes from the end of the I-84 Exit 8 rotary easterly to the intersection with Old Hawleyville Road near the Newtown Line.

But after consideration of the 1993 report, the 1997 Bethel Plan of Conservation and Development reacted to this strictly engineering derived justification by resisting widening all of Route 6 to four lanes, to preserve community character, unless absolutely necessary in the future.

According to the 1997 Town Plan "Widening Route 6 through Bethel from two lanes to four lanes plus turning lanes is the improvement of last resort and should only be undertaken after the above improvements have been done and if it is shown that the need to widen is generated locally and is not the result of an overflow from I-84. The need for the widening will probably start in the west and will move east as development and traffic volumes increase."

A similar philosophy is found in Bethel's 2007 Plan update as articulated in its supplemental Route 6 Corridor Study's section entitled "Future Width and Right-of Way for Route 6:

This study recommends a 100 feet right of way (ROW) for the entire length of Route 6. This is the optimum width for an arterial road such as Route 6. The corridor’s R.O.W. currently varies between 70 and 120 feet; most of it is too narrow at about 70 feet and needs up to 30 feet more R.O.W or easement.. Eventually it would be desirable to insure that a 100 feet right of way is maintained as new site plans and subdivisions are submitted.

The reason for this recommendation is to both provide for a “green” corridor in the near term future and to accommodate a road widening in the long term should CONN DOT deem this to be necessary.. The objective is to provide tree plantings and sidewalks set back far enough from the road so that they are unaffected when or if the road is ever widened.

The two-lane cross section suggests a 10 foot left lane at intersections and two 6 foot bike lanes which also provide shoulders. The key to this two-lane cross section is to provide a green buffer at least 17 feet on each side of the road. This is similar to the setbacks provided on Main Street in Southbury, CT. This will provide enough land for the road to be widened to four lanes while still preserving the street trees and sidewalks.

TRAFFIC CONTROL IN TOWN REGULATIONS
All of the roadway frontage along Route 6 in Bethel is zoned CI commercial. Accordingly, it has become a substantial commercial area.

According to the 1997 Town Plan "The nature of Route 6 is changing from primarily convenience goods and services to a mix of light industrial, convenience goods, offices, entertainment and hotels, and regionally based retail.

Changes to the zoning regulations will enable Bethel to again anticipate and shape the market forces at play on Route 6. The corridor is inevitably going to have a more significant role in the local and regional market."

Relevant to the CI zone is Section 118-32.B(1)(a) of the Bethel Zoning Code which states that no lot may contain more than 95,000 square feet of total building area. Also that "Applicants proposing lots with more than 50,000 square feet of total building floor area will be required to demonstrate that no condition will be created which will cause traffic congestion or traffic hazards as a result of the traffic generated by the proposed use."

Administration of an HVCEO prepared driveway and curb cut management plan for Route 6 has been ongoing by the Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission since 1997.

The driveway plan identifies the best locations for driveways and is inserted into permit conditions as vacant properties are developed or existing properties are reused. It is a standard for all Route 6 related site plans submitted.

Excerpt from Bethel's Route 6 curb plan near Old Hawleyville Road. Red
circles highlight letters keyed to curb management recommendations
in a map legend, black indicates eventual closure of access.

The curb plan was formally adopted by the Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission on August 13, 1997 as part of the Plan of Development. It is referenced from the Plan when used by the PZC during permit reviews. The 1997 curb cut management plan was updated in 2007.

DESTINATION SURVEY ON
ROUTE 6 NEAR I-84 EXIT 8
The characteristics of AM peak hour traffic on eastbound Route 6 at the intersection with Payne Road can be estimated from a 1999 Conn DOT origin and destination license plate survey, summarized below:

The first perspective measured is from Newtown Road in Danbury, traveling eastbound and approaching the I-84 Exit 8 oval rotary and Route 6 eastbound into Bethel.

Of this eastbound traffic, about 6% quickly turned right on to Sherman Turnpike in Danbury, and similarly 29% turned left soon thereafter into the I-84 eastbound on ramp.

Of the remaining 65%, 4% then turned right on to Payne Road at the Bethel Town Line, leaving 61% passing east thru the Route 6 and Payne Road signalized intersection. Of that remainder, 25 of the original percentage points reverse direction around the Exit 8 oval to access the I-84 westbound on ramp.

But 33% of the original, and the largest single percentage, continues on Route 6 east up grade towards the Stony Hill commercial area and the signal at the Garella Road intersection. The final 3% in the survey was to other small roads intersecting with the Exit 8 rotary.

The second perspective measured is for Route 6 AM peak hour westbound traffic in Bethel approaching I-84 Exit 8. In this case the largest single percentage figure of 50% of traffic was destined for the I-84 Exit 8 westbound on ramp. Then another 36% was traveling southwest towards the Newtown Road commercial area and Commerce Park in Danbury.

A third choice for the Route 6 westbound AM peak hour traffic was to swing around the Exit 8 oval rotary to join Route 6 eastbound. This included 5% of total traffic which turned right into Old Sherman Turnpike, 3% of traffic exiting left to reach the I-84 eastbound on ramp, 3% turning right onto Payne Road, and then the final 3% to other roads.

ROUTE 6 IN BETHEL FROM PAYNE
ROAD EAST TO SKY EDGE DRIVE
For both north and south sides of the I-84 Exit 8 oval rotary combined, average daily traffic volume is about 38,000. Conn DOT traffic projections show this already high amount rising to a massive 49,000 by 2025.

Payne Road is the boundary with the City of Danbury, the corporate line running down the middle of the street. It is also a Conn DOT designated collector route.

Northbound Payne Road terminates at I-84's Exit 8, which is a complex rotary type interchange between I-84 and Route 6, with Route 6 operating as a one way pair. Due to the rotary, all northbound Payne Road traffic reaching Route 6 must turn right.

The 1997 Bethel Plan of Conservation and Development labeled the intersection of Route 6 with Payne Road a traffic safety hazard. Fortunately, this intersection was signalized in late 2003 as part of the nearby Target retail store development.

At present northbound Payne Road traffic has a very circuitous routing around the rotary to enter the I-84 Exit 8 westbound on ramp. But during the planning process leading up to Conn’s 2000 I-84 Plan, Town officials provided significant input on this matter.

As a result the 2000 Conn DOT I-84 Plan adds a new two lane bridge northbound from Payne Road directly across I-84, essentially a short northerly extension of Payne Road, to create a short cut over over I-84.

Also due to Town comments, the Conn DOT I-84 Plan now calls for the I-84 eastbound on ramp to be relocated to just east of Payne Road, rather than just west of Payne Road as it is now.

This means that northbound Payne Road traffic will no longer need to travel almost completely around the Exit 8 oval to reach the I-84 Exit 8 eastbound on ramp, saving a travel distance of about two-thirds of a mile, a significant improvement. But this improved access, especially to eastbound I-84, may draw more users to Payne Road.

Moving east to the intersection of Route 6 with Sky Edge Drive, there have been many reports of the difficulty facing motorists attempting to exit from Sky Edge Drive to proceed straight across oncoming eastbound Route 6 traffic to access Route 6 westbound.

The 2000 Conn DOT I-84 Plan, in its recommendations for Exit 8, includes traffic signalization at the intersection of Route 6 with Sky Edge Drive when Exit 8 is rebuilt. According to the 2000 report “The signal at Route 6 and Sky Edge Drive will address the existing safety concerns at this intersection.”

At present northbound Payne Road traffic has a circuitous routing
to enter I-84 at Exit 8. Conn DOT will address 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).

The existing signal at Payne Road (above center) and the proposed signal at Sky Edge Drive (above right) are shown above by the two lower red "S" symbols inside circles.

As noted earlier the proposed signal at Sky Edge Drive will need to be integrated into the signal coordination system now operating along this segment of Route 6 from Old Sherman Turnpike in Danbury easterly to Hawleyville Road.

Maps are available showing the full details of Conn DOT's proposed I-84 Exit 8 improvements in the short term and long term.

The 2007 Bethel Plan of Conservation and Development supports these I-84 improvements, stating that "The Board of Selectmen should continue to work with both HVCEO and Conn DOT to see that these plans are fully implemented."

ROUTE 6 IN BETHEL PAST SKY
EDGE DRIVE TO GARELLA ROAD
Once past the I-84 Exit 8 rotary, entering the upgradient segment from Sky Edge Drive to Hawleyville and Benedict Roads, current average daily traffic volumes of near 16,400 will according to Conn DOT rise to about 21,000 by 2025.

Adjacent to Sky Edge Drive is the large Target retail story that opened in 2004. Given its size of 123,000 square feet coupled with 650 parking spaces, Conn DOT required traffic improvements to mitigate impacts.

Required was the upgrading of an existing traffic signal at the site drive, and a new signal also to be installed to the west at Payne Road, these coupled with widening of Route 6 for 1,500 feet to provide two lanes eastbound from the Exit 8 rotary to Garella Road. In addition, a short left turn lane into the new parking lot was added on Route 6 westbound.

Moving past this busy section up the hill to the signal at Garella Road, the left of the two Route 6 eastbound lanes becomes an exclusive left turn lane into Garella Road. This exclusive left turn lane predates the recent Target development, having been required in 1996 as part of the nearby Berkshire Corporate Park expansion.

But as noted the State Traffic Commission's conditions on the Target development were responsible for the recent westward lengthening of this left turn lane.

To prevent some eastbound thru traffic arriving at this left lane from making an awkward transition to the right lane to continue on Route 6, a warning sign to this effect has been posted. Past turn movement counts here document an AM peak hour left turn count that is a high 50% of total eastbound Route 6 traffic.

Garella Road appears on a map from 1953 without Sand Pit Road in evidence to the south. Then Sand Pit Road is present on a 1957 map, but as part of a subdivision with limited traffic generation. Unlike today it was then without an outlet to the south.

Further, while in the 1958 Bethel Town Plan the lands west and north of Garella Road were envisioned for future residential use, after I-84 was built this changed to office park use, with correspondingly much higher traffic volumes per unit of area.

Thus the offset of Garella from Sand Pit dating from the 1950's has become more of a problem as the decades have passed. The traffic signal at Route 6 and Garella Road was first installed in 1989.

There was discussion in 1996 as to how the Route 6 and Garella Road- Sand Pit Road intersection could be upgraded. That year municipal officials approached Conn DOT seeking a study of how this intersection could be normalized to correct its awkward offset, which forces left turns to be in conflict with each other.

Instead of aligning with Sand Pit Road, the Garella Road approach at some point was aligned with the 7/11 convenience story driveway at a signalized intersection about 60 feet east of Sand Pit Road. There is also an inadequate right turning radius for trucks proceeding south out of Garella Road and turning west on to Route 6 to reach I-84 Exit 8.

Interestingly, State Traffic Commission requirements in 1996 as part of the nearby Berkshire Corporate Park expansion stated "That all trailer type trucks serving the development be required by the owner to not use the site's Garella Road access." That same permit process required that the southbound lane on Garella Road provide exclusive right turn and left turn lanes.

A Conn DOT staff report of 10/1998 for Bethel concluded that “The offset configuration causes operational difficulties with interlocking left turns.... The existing radii for Garella Road needs to be modified for tractor trailers to make right turns in or out....The reasons for the improvements are safety and capacity driven."

Latest concept for Sand Pit Road improvement
at Route 6, as recommended in the 2007
Bethel Route 6 Corridor Study

Conn DOT’s proposed improvement realigns Sand Pit Road easterly to the location of the existing convenience store driveway, improves radii at all four corners of the intersection and adds exclusive left turn lanes for all four legs of the new intersection. Storage lengths for waiting vehicles would also be increased.

Essentially, the southern leg of the signalized intersection here would also serve Sand Pit Road and not just the convenience store. To compensate, Conn DOT proposes that a second driveway off of Sand Pit Road be installed just for the convenience store to improve access and internal circulation.

While access to the store thus becomes slightly less direct, the addition of a westbound and signalized left turn lane on to Sand Pit Road to reach the business, coupled with a higher capacity intersection in front of the business, would adjust for that impact. And, the store's current parking space inventory would not be reduced.

This study will serve as the base for future traffic planning here. The preliminary cost estimate for these improvements in 1998 was $892,000.

It is interesting to note that as far back as 1969, as documented in the Town Plan of that year, this intersection had the highest accident rate along Route 6 from I-84 Exit 8 to the Newtown Town Line. A search of Conn DOT traffic safety data bases in the late 1990's confirmed that this location still had the dubious distinction of the highest accident rate along Route 6 in Bethel.

CONCEPTUAL FUTURE ON
RAMP TO I-84 EASTBOUND
Regarding I-84 improvement affecting Route 6 in Bethel, a 2000 Conn DOT study examined a traffic relief concept involving Garella Road. Conn DOT studied the possibility of adding an eastbound on ramp from Garella Road to I-84.

This additional entrance ramp might provide the Stony Hill Area with faster access to I-84 eastbound. But this concept was dropped from consideration by Conn DOT in favor of focusing capacity investments solely at I-84 Exit 8.

The Bethel Planning and Zoning Commission itself reviewed this concept as part of its 2007 Route 6 Corridor Study, and reached the following conclusion:

The possibility of a slip ramp onto eastbound I-84 from Garella Road was investigated as part of this study. This ramp, which has been studied in the past by Connecticut’s Department of Transportation, may eliminate the necessity for some traffic to go through the ramp system of exit 8.

However, it may in turn cause increasing traffic congestion along the western section of Route 6 and from industrial parks north of I-84. This connection is not recommended.

ROUTE 6 PAST GARELLA ROAD
TO THE NEWTOWN TOWN LINE
It should be noted that Route 6 has been gaining elevation as one travels easterly, with the vicinity of Benedict Road one hundred feet higher than Payne Road. This topographic factor, coupled with the low Still River Valley to the west, add the asset of pleasant views from the businesses in this section.

Proceeding easterly, the intersection of Benedict Road and Hawleyville Road cannot work efficiently as it is offset the wrong way. This geometry predates the automobile era and so it was not always a problem.

The key issue is that the paths of the left turns from both Route 6 directions cross each other and can thus cause traffic conflicts. This intersection takes on added importance as Hawleyville Road is a Conn DOT designated collector route to and from Brookfield.

According to the HVCEO’s 1993 Route 6 traffic study the solution is for this intersection to be redesigned so that both north and south local road legs are properly aligned. This would be achieved by realigning the Benedict Road approach slightly to the east and by adding a right lane on to Hawleyville Road.

Latest concept for Benedict Road improvement at Route 6,
as recommended in the 2007 Bethel Route 6 Corridor Study.

The only change at this intersection since 1993 has been the addition of a left turn lane and removal of a small island on Benedict Road as part of the adjacent Microtel Inn and Suites development.

Then as part of the 9/2005 State Traffic Commission permit for the Big Y Shopping Center on Route 6 to the east, "an eastbound left turn lane is to be added at this intersection.”

Latest concept for Weed Road improvement at Route 6,
as shown in the 2007 Bethel Route 6 Corridor Study.
McNeil Road to be replaced by parallel new road to west.

View of Route 6 eastbound just after the intersection with
Benedict Road. New roadside development may induce Conn DOT
permits to require widenings for turn lanes at entrance drives,
in time merging to become a consistent 4 lane cross section here.

Moving east, past the intersections with McNeil Road and Weed Road, landmarks are the newly refurbished Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Company building on the south and the Stony Hill Inn on the north.

Note that the low lying area between Weed Road and Old Hawleyville Road is part of the recharge area for Bethel's Dibbles Brook Aquifer.

The signalized intersection with Old Hawleyville Road takes on added importance as this road is a Conn DOT designated minor collector route providing access to Brookfield on the north and Downtown Bethel and Route 302 on the south.

The 1993 HVCEO report called for the addition of left turn lanes on all four intersection approaches.

You may continue following Route 6 into Newtown, Connecticut.

BETHEL INTRO --- BETHEL RT 6 --- BETHEL RT 53 SOUTH --- BETHEL RT 53 NORTH
BETHEL RT 58 --- BETHEL RT 302 --- BETHEL NON-STATE ROADWAYS