ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY CORRIDOR OVERVIEW

For an understanding of the key traffic safety terms "TASR" and "SLOSSS" that are repeatedly referenced in the discussions below, be sure to review the "Introduction to Danbury, CT Traffic" section.

The initial section of Danbury’s Route 37, the one half mile from Route 53 (Main Street) northeasterly to I-84 Exit 6, is designated by Conn DOT as a principal arterial route. This highest of functional classifications is due to the need for Route 37 traffic to reach I-84 Exit 5 for its access to and from the west, as Exit 6 situated on Route 37 only provides interstate access to the east.

The remaining three and three quarter miles of Route 37 in Danbury, from I-84 Exit 6 northerly to the New Fairfield Town Line, is designated by Conn DOT as a minor arterial route.

From the Conn DOT perspective, important intersections on Route 37 will be those at other Conn DOT arterial or collector designated roadways interacting with it. There are five such intersections; 1) at the origin of Route 37 at Main Street (Route 53), 2) with the Balmforth Avenue-Maple Avenue one way pair as a minor arterial, 3) with I-84 Exit 6 ramps as principal arterials, 4) with Stacey Road as a collector and 5) with Barnum Road as a collector.

Although not designated for higher function by Conn DOT, Hayestown Avenue and Golden Hill Road intersecting with Route 37 are also of considerably functional importance.

Three local road names are applied to sections of Route 37. From Route 53 to I-84 Exit 6 it is called North Avenue and is characterized by professional offices and small retail establishments. Then from I-84 northerly it is known as Padanaram Road to an intersection where that name is transferred to a local road. Most of this section of Route 37, up to Jeanette Street, is largely commercial. Then from the intersection with Padanaram Road to the New Fairfield Town Line Route 37 is known as Pembroke Road and is primarily residential in character.

Conn DOT’s 1998 average daily traffic volumes show 14,900 vehicles on Route 37 along its initial segment from Route 53 to Balmforth Avenue. From there to the I-84 Exit 6 westbound off ramp it reaches 20,200. Then the high point of volume for the corridor is reached, 25,000, for the short section northerly to the intersection with Hayestown Avenue.

From Hayestown Avenue to Padanaram Road the average daily traffic on Route 37 in 1999 was 19,300, falling to 15,900 from there to the intersection with Bear Mountain Road, and from there falling lower again at 13,100 up to the New Fairfield Town Line.

As an historical note, planning for the traffic and zoning relationship along the Route 37 corridor was given special attention in 1985 by the Danbury Planning Department. That year it released a report entitled "Traffic and Land Use Management Study for Route 37." The purpose of that report was to provide for "the development of a land use plan and associated zoning controls to regulate future development within the Route 37 corridor consistent with the preservation of the desired level of (traffic) service."

As a result of that study, later in 1985 the Danbury Zoning Commission rezoned a variety of Route 37 properties to lesser intensities, including land near Peck Road from commercial to single family residential, land between Stacey Road and Jeanette Street from commercial to single family residential, and three parcels along the segment from the North Street Shopping Center to Jeanette Street from general commercial to neighborhood commercial.

While Route 37 obviously serves Danbury residents, it is also an important intermunicipal route. A quick look at a map shows that Route 37 is the prime access for the Towns of New Fairfield and Sherman to reach Danbury and I-84.

The 1985 report on Route 37 by the Danbury Planning Department provided some documentation of this dependence; "Approximately 62% of the vehicles entering the southbound approaches of the Golden Hill Road intersection originate from north of the Danbury border."

To a considerable extent, roadway widening, intersection and signalization improvements for this corridor can be planned in conjunction with HVCEO’s 1996 technical report entitled "Route 37 Traffic and Access Management Study." These 1996 recommendations are now supplemented with those of Conn DOT’s 2000 I-84 Study to the extent that proposals from that study will impact Route 37 operations near I-84.

A driveway and curb cut management plan for Route 37 was completed as part of the 1996 HVCEO study but has not yet been incorporated into either Danbury or New Fairfield zoning regulations.

The big change for Route 37 that Conn DOT proposes in the 2000 I-84 Study is the fact that I-84 Exit 6, the interchange with Route 37, only has two ramps, serving points to and from the east. Route 37 traffic seeking points west via I-84 must use the fuller set of four ramps at nearby Exit 5 to the west. I-84 Exit 5 on Route 39 is connected with Route 37 by use of Main Street, Downs Street (serving as the Exit 5 eastbound off ramp), also the combined Madison Avenue-Hillside Avenue and Golden Hill Road corridors.

This major I-84 deficiency will be corrected when, under the Conn DOT I-84 Plan, I-84 Exit 6 is upgraded from just two to a full four access ramps. Significant traffic loads will be removed from the above local roadways and instead concentrated at a newly upgraded Exit 6 to provide all intersection movements with Route 37.

The Conn DOT I-84 plan projects that the I-84 Exit 6 expansion will improve Route 37 operating conditions to level of service D or better at intersections with Balmforth Avenue, Madison Avenue, and the I-84 Exit 6 eastbound on ramp.

Importantly for Route 37 planning, traffic forecast diagrams for the year 2025 were prepared as part of the I-84 Study for the section from Route 53 (Main Street) northerly to beyond Hayestown Avenue. This detailed data will be used to properly size roadway traffic capacities and coordinate I-84 and adjacent Route 37 improvements.

Danbury’s overall upgrading policy for the Route 37 corridor was conveyed in a 11/4/1999 letter to Conn DOT concerning future Route 37 improvements. Therein was stated that the City desired "widening of the section of Route 37 between Route 53 (its origin at Main Street) and the Jeanette Street intersection to four lanes (a total of 1.52 miles). Turning lanes are to be provided where warranted."

In addition, "the City requests that spot roadway improvements be made along the section of Route 37 between the Jeanette Street intersection to the New Fairfield Town Line" (the entire remaining 2.75 miles of Route 37 in Danbury up to the New Fairfield Town Line).

Thus Jeanette Street is used as the demarcation line between a four thru lane cross section on Route 37 to the south and a two lane cross section to the north. Part of the logic of this is tied to the fact that south of this intersection, Route 37 is generally zoned for business use, but only for residential use to the north.

The Danbury policy letter of 11/4/1999 continues concerning the northern section; "Improvements at the intersections of Padanaram Road, Stacey Road and Barnum Road are to be limited to provision of turning or passing lanes and revision of intersection alignments. Traffic signals are to be installed only where warranted. In order to enhance operation of the traffic control devices, it is requested that all traffic signals located along the corridor be physically coordinated and incorporated in the City’s Areawide Traffic Signal Control System" (an existing system).

The initial reaction at Conn DOT to the applications of 11/1999 for Route 37 improvement planning and then construction funding was that the Conn DOT 2000 I-84 improvement study would need to be completed first, as changes in I-84 could impact the planning for traffic flows on some part of Route 37. That study is now completed.

Late in 2002 the City and Conn DOT agreed that, rather than examine all of the roadway up to the New Fairfield Line, a priority section of Route 37 would be addressed first. This is the segment from Main Street northerly past I-84 to the northern drive of the North Street Shopping Center. As of 2/2003 Conn DOT is preparing preliinary concept plans for widening this section.

As a proposed major widening invoking federal air quality laws, Conn DOT air impact modeling for Route 37 corridor improvements was completed on 10/30/1997. Details as to traffic planning issues along the Route 37 corridor are as follows;

1. ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY FROM ROUTE 53
(MAIN STREET) TO BALMFORTH AVENUE
Landmarks as Route 37 starts are the Mobil gas station on the northeast corner and greenery on the northwest corner associated with an historic cemetery. This origin point of Route 37 at Route 53 (Main Street) will be affected by an upcoming federally funded Main Street North Streetscape Enhancement Plan. That project will add new sidewalks, greenery and other enhancements to Main Street south of and adjacent to this location.

The 2000 Conn DOT I-84 Study rated the morning peak hour at the Routes 37 & 53 Main Street intersection as Level of Service D, a low rating, and the afternoon peak hour there as a poor F. The Conn DOT I-84 Study of 2000 documents that revision of signal timings for the short term are justified here and will improve operations.

Longer term improvements recommended in the Conn DOT I-84 Plan call for three lanes southbound on Route 37 approaching Route 53 (two exist now, exclusive left and a right/thru lane) and two lanes originating at Route 53 for Route 37 northbound (there is only one now). Thus the Route 37 cross section would expand from three to five lanes.

An unusual feature here is the offset alignment of the origin point of Route 37 with opposing Downs Street (State Route 841 serving as the Exit 5 eastbound off ramp); the centerline of Downs Street does not align with the centerline of opposing Route 37. But the Danbury Traffic Engineer commented during 7/2000 that minor alignment improvements were made as part of the adjacent Mobil gas station development and that this offset is not considered a significant problem.

Given the narrowness of the Route 37 right of way near Main Street, coupled with the traditional pedestrian scale and some older buildings constructed right at the edge of the sidewalk on the first fifth of a mile of Route 37, the exact point of origin for beginning the widening of Route 37 remains to be determined.

The Danbury Traffic Engineer commented during 7/2000 that "To meet current traffic flow demands widening of Route 37 from Route 53 to the Maple/Balmforth intersection is needed. However, there is a significant right of way problem." The widening to four lanes may begin north of the immediate vicinity of the Route 53 (Main Street) to Balmforth Avenue segment. The appropriate point to actually initiate a four lane cross section will be cooperatively agreed to between Conn DOT and Danbury.

From mileposts .01 to .06, Route 37 between its intersection with Route 53 (Main Street) easterly to Thorpe Street, landmarks are Car Land Auto Body on the north and Diamond Electrical Supply on the south. In this segment, the Conn DOT 1989-91 TASR accident rate was 175%, then 139% for 1992-94. For 1995-97 the Conn DOT accident rate was a high 328% SLOSSS designation, one of the top 10 worst of the 94 SLOSSS sites in the Region that period.

These useful hazard rating percentages are not to be considered as factual indicators of hazard but rather as suggestive of safety problem areas. These "TASR" (Traffic Accident Surveillance Report) statistics that are determined by Conn DOT to be the highest priorities have an additional "SLOSSS" designation (Suggested List of Surveillance Study Sites).

At Route 37's milepost .17 is the signalized intersection of Route 37 with Balmforth Avenue. The dominant landmark here is Deep’s IGA Market, the driveway of which serves as the fourth leg to this signalized intersection. Another landmark is the Citgo gas station on the northeast corner.

Southbound on Route 37 an exclusive left turn lane to Balmforth is provided. Northbound on the Balmforth Avenue approach is a left turn lane and a combined right and thru lane into Deep’s Market.

The Balmforth Avenue-Maple Avenue one way pair was developed in the early eighties as a bypass to nearby Main Street (Route 53) and link between Downtown and I-84 Exit 6. Not surprisingly then, Route 37 volumes increase by about one third on the north side of its intersection with Balmforth Avenue as these traffic flows merge.

The Conn DOT TASR accident rates at the intersection with Balmforth Avenue for 1989-91 were 119% with a SLOSSS designation, then falling to a TASR of 86% for 1992-94, then up again during 1995-97 at 141% with a SLOSSS designation.

The 2000 Conn DOT I-84 Study included some data relevant here; "the intersection of Route 37 and Balmforth Avenue is operating at a Level of Service F during the PM peak hour" (F being the poorest rating).

The Conn DOT I-84 Study of 2000 documents that revision of signal timings for the short term are justified at the Balmforth Avenue intersection and will improve operations there. The upcoming widening plan will determine the best course of action to maintain capacities and reduce documented accident rates here.

2. ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY FROM
BALMFORTH AVENUE TO SECOND AVENUE
From mileposts .18 to .35, Route 37 from the signal at Balmforth Avenue northerly to the signal at Madison Avenue, The 1995-97 accident rate was 198% and on the SLOSSS, for 1992-94 was 92%, and the 1989-1991 rate was a SLOSSS 101%. The 2000 Conn DOT I-84 Study cited as an Exit 6 related deficiency the "high accidents on Route 37 between Balmforth and Madison Avenue."

Landmarks on this segment of Route 37 are the many professional office buildings, some converted from old homes, others of newer construction, especially the large 57 North Office Building.

The 2000 Conn DOT I-84 Study included some data relevant to evaluating the congestion on this segment; "Madison Avenue is operating at a Level of Service F during both peak hours."

The Conn DOT I-84 Study of 2000 documents that the restriping of Route 37 to provide a northbound left turn lane for traffic turning into Madison Avenue will improve operations at that point. It should be noted that the driveway to the 72 North Court Professional Office Building serves as the signalized fourth leg to the intersection with Madison Avenue, and there are no turning lanes at this intersection now.

As stated above HVCEO and Danbury policies call for widening of Route 37 to a four thru lane cross section along this segment of Route 37. All points with high accident rates as identified above will be addressed by that project’s planning and preliminary engineering processes. There will be well publicized public involvement.

Regarding this vicinity, the Danbury Traffic Engineer commented during 7/2000 that "the right of way of Route 37 between Balmforth Avenue and Exit 6 is too wide to serve as two single lanes, but too narrow to serve as four lanes. Minor widening is needed so as to provide two northbound and two southbound lanes. Many public comments have been received requesting this."

Continuing along Route 37, from Madison Avenue northerly to Second Avenue, landmarks are a BP gas station and more professional offices. Here the Conn DOT TASR for 1995-97 was 154%. But as earlier rates were very low, 23% for 1992-94 and 21% for 1989-91, this most recent rate may be an anomaly, to be monitored.

3. ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY
AT THE I-84 EXIT 6 AREA
The Conn DOT 2000 Study has characterized conditions here; "The Route 37 corridor is heavily congested during the peak hour and the majority of the intersections in the vicinity of Exit 6 on Route 37 are over saturated and cannot efficiently handle the traffic demands."

Conn DOT’s recommendations for redesigning I-84's Exits 5 and 6 in its 2000 study will greatly impact significant sections of Danbury’s Route 37. As noted above under the Conn DOT Plan of 2000 Exit 6 is to be upgraded to a full four access ramps.

Due to these new access points, some Route 37 traffic volumes will be diverted from the southernmost section of Route 37, from Madison Avenue and from Golden Hill Road, and instead be concentrated at I-84's upgraded Exit 6.

The redistribution of this traffic pressure is a desirable goal overall. But to achieve that goal the need to widen the basic cross section of Route 37 in the vicinity from 2 to 4 lanes becomes all the more crucial, especially given its Conn DOT documented "over saturated" condition.

North of the Route 37 and Second Avenue intersection and running along the souther edge of I-84, a new eastbound I-84 off ramp (to be designed as a long extension from nearby Route 39 of a new I-84 Exit 5 eastbound off ramp) will terminate across from the existing Exit 6 eastbound on ramp. This major new traffic feature will impact the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant property located here now.

The Conn DOT I-84 Plan of 2000 calls for the introduction of a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 37 with the I-84 Exit 6 eastbound on ramp at a cost of $115,000, this action to be needed before the new eastbound off ramp arrives from the west to align at this intersection. On Route 37 southbound at this point, an exclusive left turn lane facilitates access to the I-84 Exit 6 eastbound on ramp.

On Route 37 adjacent to and under the I-84 overpass, the Conn DOT I-84 Plan of 2000 calls for Route 37 to be "widened to 5 lanes at the I-84 underpass, this can be accommodated without impacting the structure, to delineate turning lanes at each of the ramps".

This recommendation fits nicely into the City’s four thru lane widening policy. Assisting the feasibility of this redesign will be the presence of a very wide northbound lane for Route 37 here, with a very wide sidewalk adjacent to it under the I-84 overpass.

Just to the north of the bridge carrying I-84 over Route 37, this state roadway will see another Exit 6 ramp addition, paralleling that to be added on the south side. Here a new I-84 westbound on ramp will be built, about 100 feet or so south of the I-84 Exit 6 westbound off ramp, that off ramp to be moved south the 100 feet such that both ramps align across from each other for proper traffic and signal management.

This new westbound I-84 Exit 6 on ramp will necessitates the permanent closing of the intersection of Route 37 with Padanaram Avenue, that roadway to become a dead end with access to Route 37 only from its other intersection with Route 37 to the north.

The southern segment of Padanaram Avenue will be removed and its area used as the location for the new I-84 westbound on ramp. The parking lot of the adjacent real estate office will be impacted. In the years prior to that construction, the intersection of Padanaram Avenue at Route 37 is to remain in place but have "right in only, right out only" signage to improve Route 37 operations.

An overall assessment of this area is that whether I-84 improvements are made or not, significant upgrading of Route 37 capacity in the vicinity of I-84 Exit 6 is badly needed now. The Danbury Traffic Engineer comments during 7/2000 that this segment of Route 37 "is the most congested roadway in Danbury."

4. ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY FROM I-84
EXIT 6 NORTH TO GOLDEN HILL ROAD
Just north of the I-84 Exit 6 westbound off ramp is the intersection of Route 37 with Walnut Street. Landmarks are the Sunoco gas station to the west and a Shell Gas station on the northeast corner of the intersection.

The Walnut Street approach to Route 37 is signed for no left turn, this to discourage southbound thru traffic that might otherwise come over from Hayestown Avenue via Rowan Street Extension.

The intersection of Route 37 with Walnut Street received a Conn DOT SLOSSS hazard designation of 118% for 1995-97. But earlier rates do not reveal a pattern; only 17% for 1992-94 and then 53% for 1989-91.

As the highest traffic volume segment in the Route 37 corridor, top priority for widening of Route 37 is clearly needed from the I-84 Exit 6 ramps northerly past Walnut Street to Hayestown Avenue. As noted above this existing need is already a short term recommendation in the Conn DOT 2000 I-84 Plan and Danbury has submitted the necessary funding application.

Route 37's mileposts .63 to .67 is the segment from Walnut Street northerly to the traffic signal at Hayestown Avenue. This is the highest volume segment in the Route 37 corridor. Landmarks here are a Union Savings Bank and a Texaco gas station. There are worrisome safety ratings over a ten year period; 182% and SLOSSS for 1989-91, a significant 112% but sub-SLOSSS for 1992-94, then 134% SLOSSS for 1995-97.

As for the intersection of Hayestown Avenue with Route 37, it was redesigned in 1998 as part of a State Traffic Commission (STC) permit for the redevelopment of the adjacent North Street Shopping Center. That shopping center originally had an awkwardly angled signalized main driveway at the intersection of Route 37 and Hayestown Avenue. This outmoded geometric arrangement was closed and replaced by two new entrances, further north on Route 37, with the first having right turn in and right turn out only and the second and northernmost having a traffic signal for all movements. The end result is that the intersection of Hayestown Avenue and Route 37 was reduced from four legs to three.

The shopping center owner was also required by the STC to "interconnect the traffic signals on Route 37 at the north site driveway and at Hayestown Road with the existing traffic signal at the I-84 westbound Exit 6 off ramp." The adequacy of this arrangement will be evaluated by HVCEO in a Conn DOT sponsored study of the efficiency of signal coordination in the Region, scheduled to begin in 2001.

Route 37 northbound approaching Hayestown Avenue is striped for a thru lane and an exclusive right lane onto Hayestown Avenue, Route 37 southbound for a thru lane and an exclusive left turn lane onto Hayestown, and Hayestown itself approaching Route 37 is striped for two lanes as exclusive right and exclusive left.

As noted earlier the HVCEO and Danbury policies call for widening of Route 37 to a four lane cross section with turning lanes past this vicinity northerly another .84 miles, to the signal at Jeanette Street, which is the major transition point in the character of the Route 37 corridor in Danbury.

At milepost .71, the north intersection of Route 37 with Padanaram Avenue, safety rates were 125% for 1989-91, down to 53% for 1992-94, and then up to 140% with a SLOSSS designation for 1995-97. Note: This intersection of Padanaram Avenue is the north of two junctions with Route 37, not to be confused with Route 37 itself which is known as Padanaram Road from I-84 Exit 6 north to the local road segment of Padanaram Road one and one quarter miles north.

The Conn DOT 2000 I-84 Study catalogs a deficiency on Route 37 in this area; "High accidents north of Padanaram Avenue."

The segment of Route 37 between mileposts .72 to 1.23 is located from Padanaram Avenue northerly to the intersection with Golden Hill Road. Landmarks here are the Bella Italia Restaurant on the west and the pinkish motif of the North Street Shopping Center to the east.

Moving north, Ernie’s Roadhouse restaurant is found on the west and Brookside Condominiums on the right, on to Northside Animal Hospital on the east, several small sized shopping plazas, then the Classic Car Wash on the east and residences on the west.

On this busy segment the 1993-95 accident rate was 134%, 1991-93 was 137% and the 1989-1991 rate was 136%, all high priority SLOSSS designations.

For the 1994-96 reporting period this busy commercial segment was divided into two sections with two different ratings. These were 114% SLOSSS between Padanaram Avenue and the North Street Shopping Center (mileposts .72 to .83), and from the Shopping Center northerly to Golden Hill Road (mileposts .85 to 1.23) 114% with a SLOSSS designation.

At the signalized intersection with Golden Hill Road, the Golden Hill approach is striped for two lanes; left turn and right turn. The Route 37 approaches have wide single lanes that permit some bypassing of southbound traffic turning into Golden Hill Road.

Route 37 northbound has an advance green phase for the left turn onto Golden Hill Road. The northbound approach here has enough room to allow thru traffic to bypass left turning traffic, but on the southbound approach, width is less adequate to allow right turning vehicles onto Golden Hill to bypass thru traffic.

The recommendation from HVCEO’s 1996 Route 37 traffic study remains to be implemented here; "This intersection should be widened to provide left and right turning lanes on Route 37 north and southbound approaches. This would be consistent with the advance phase for northbound left turn currently in operation." This recommendation will be further refined as part of the preliminary engineering phase of the proposed Route 37 widening project.

A Conn DOT comment via a letter dated 1/16/1999 that is relevant to this location is that "In order to avoid abrupt lane change maneuvers, upstream and downstream of the intersection, the maintenance of four through lanes through the intersection is addition to the proposed turning lanes is recommended."

5. ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY FROM
GOLDEN HILL ROAD TO JEANETTE STREET
Landmarks here are a cement works on the east, several small shopping plazas, then Dom’s Garden Center on the east. The 1995-97 accident rate on this section was a SLOSSS 206%, then 75% for 1992-94, and 142% for 1989-91.

TASR rates for the Jeanette Street intersection itself are not unusually severe; 31% for 1989-91, 106% but non-SLOSSS for 1992-94, and 48% for 1995-97. Landmarks across Route 37 from Jeanette Street are a City of Danbury pumping station, then the driveway into the Covered Bridge Condominiums.

The HVCEO’s 1996 Route 37 traffic study documented that installation of a traffic signal at Jeanette Street was justified, as it would reduce waiting on the Jeanette Street approach to Route 37 from Level of Service E to a very favorable Level B. According to that 1996 report "signalization of this intersection should help reduce the accidents involving left turning vehicles from Jeanette Street and improve overall intersection safety."

Conn DOT was preparing signalization plans for this intersection during HVCEO’s 1996 corridor traffic study process. As a result of Conn DOT Project #174-250 in the later nineties this intersection was first signalized.

That project included only signalization and did not have sufficient funds to proceed with the geometric improvements recommended by the 1996 HVCEO report, which remain to be implemented. They involve widening of the Jeanette Street approach to Route 37 within the existing right of way to provide both left and right turn lanes.

6. ROUTE 37 IN DANBURY FROM JEANETTE
STREET TO THE NEW FAIRFIELD TOWN LINE
From Jeanette Street northward along the two and three quarters miles of Route 37 to the New Fairfield Town Line, HVCEO and Danbury policy call for a more limited improvement than the major widening recommended south of Jeanette Street. Needed are minor improvements such as turning lanes and some intersection upgrades but without an expansion to the full four lane cross section that is planned for the southern section.

Proceeding northbound past Jeanette Street, the character of the Route 37 corridor changes significantly. After Jeanette Street zoning is primarily residential rather than commercial as to the south, with only very scattered retail establishments. This is also the beginning of the first significant grade change in the corridor.

At milepost 2.27 is the Route 37 intersection with Stacey Road, a triangular interesction with two legs onto Route 37, each with two way movements. Major land use features here are the Saint Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church at a height above the intersection, and the large Amber Room banquet facility just out of sight of Route 37 and accessed from Stacey Road across from the Church.

The 1995-97 accident rate on Route 37 at this intersection was a SLOSSS 211%, 1992-94 was a 281% SLOSSS, and for 1989-91 132%. For 1993-95 this intersection ranked among the top ten worst safety hazards in the Region.

The HVCEO 1996 Route 37 traffic study stated that "Stacey Road approaches to Route 37 are separated by a wide seventy foot median. Proposed improvements to this intersection include consolidating these two approaches to a single approach and then intersecting Route 37 at a right angle. Traffic volumes and accident analysis also warrant installation of a traffic signal at this intersection."

Continuing, "Signalization of this intersection would improve the current level of service of Stacey Road from E to C. Realignment of Stacey Road and signalization of the intersection would reduce the accidents involving turning vehicles to and from Stacey Road and improve overall intersection safety."

The location received some attention when Conn DOT stated in an 8/27/1998 letter that "The Department is currently evaluating traffic operations at the intersection of Route 37 and Stacey Road including consideration of the recommendations presented in the HVCEO report."

Conn DOT correspondence of 7/19/1999 then stated that "Recommendations have been made to widen Route 37 to provide an exclusive left turn lane for southbound traffic, remove the northern Stacey Road connector, realign and widen Stacey Road to provide a two lane approach to Route 37, and signalize the intersection. The Department anticipates that construction will begin to accomplish the aforementioned improvements during the 2003 construction season."

Continuing northward, about one fifth of a mile beyond the intersection of Stacey Road (east side) is the intersection with Barnum Road (west side). The HVCEO 1996 study recommended widening of Route 37 northbound to provide an exclusive left turn lane for traffic turning into Barnum Road. Signalization of this intersection was also recommended in the 1996 corridor study.

In September of 1999 the Conn DOT Division of Traffic completed a study of the intersection of Route 37 with Barnum Road, acknowledging the earlier 1996 regional study and updating it.

Conn DOT recommended that the Barnum Road intersection be relocated slightly to the south and opposite Pembroke Terrace, a very small residential roadway, on the east, that "along with the provision of head to head left turn lanes and signalization on the east would address the majority of accidents in this area.... It is anticipated that the recommended improvements would address the rear end type accidents at both intersections. In the interim, the Department will increase the size of the curve and side road warning signs." No construction funding was assigned.

An earlier Conn DOT comment, dated 1/16/1996, had taken a different view; "Although the volume warrants for signalization are satisfied at the intersection, the vast majority of side street traffic are right turns. Side street right turning vehicles at T type intersections conflict with only one direction of travel. Large volumes of right turning traffic can therefore be handled at such locations without being signalized provided adequate intersection sight distance exists and sufficient room is available to bypass the occasional left turning vehicle."

Conn DOT TASR accident statistics at the Barnum Road intersection are modest but climbing; 60% for 1989-91, 85% for 1992-94, and 100% for 1995-97. A final determination as to the scope of improvement here, and their priority, will be part of the Route 7 corridor planning Danbury has requested Conn DOT to undertake.

On the remaining 1.73 miles of Route 37 from its intersection with Barnum Road northerly to the New Fairfield Town Line, major landmarks are the Federal Correctional Institute up slope to the east and then Margerie Reservoir downslope to the west. Happily, a review of Conn DOT TASR data along this segment identified no outstanding safety issues.