ROUTE 7 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 existing Route 7 from Danbury to Norwalk is classified as a principal arterial roadway and is the Greater Danbury Region’s main link to the south. It is also the primary north-south corridor for the western edge of New England. As a major interegional corridor, the background for Route 7 is summarized elsewhere on this web site.

The widening of Route 7 from 2 to 4 lanes from one half mile north of Route 35 in Ridgefield (south of which the cross section has already been widened to 4 lanes down to Route 35) northerly to just south of Wooster Heights Road in Danbury (where the current expressway portion ends), is scheduled to begin construction soon as Conn DOT Projects 34-315 and 34-260.

ROUTE 7 IN DANBURY FROM THE RIDGEFIELD
TOWN LINE NORTH TO THE VICINITY OF I-84
Conn DOT 1999 average daily traffic estimates show 30,500 vehicles on Route 7 north of the Ridgefield-Danbury municipal boundary. As for Conn DOT functional classifications in the corridor, Route 7 intersects with Starrs Plain Road which is a collector route.

From milepost 17.72 to 18.85, Route 7 from the Ridgefield boundary line northerly to Old Sugar Hollow Road in Danbury, there are fortunately no SLOSSS entries on recent Conn DOT accident rate lists.

HVCEO completed a driveway and curb cut management plan for Route 7 in Danbury, Redding and Ridgefield in 1996. To date the Redding and Ridgefield portions of the plan have been incorporated into the zoning regulations of those communities, but not yet in Danbury.

On the short Route 7 Expressway segment in Danbury, from mileposts 20.72 to 21.11 where ramps to and from Park Avenue and Backus Avenue merge with and diverge from the Expressway, The 1989-91 rate was 82%, 1992-94 was 161% and on the SLOSSS, and 1995-97 was also on the SLOSSS at 204%.

These ramps were funded in part by the developer of the Danbury Fair Mall as part of conditions on the Mall’s State Traffic Commission permit ($8 million of the $26 million was privately funded). The ramps were completed in 1989. Traffic engineering analysis will be needed to determine the cause of this safety problem.

ROUTE 7 NORTH IN DANBURY
Entering Danbury from the south, on its way northward Route 7 overlaps with I-84 through Central Danbury. It then leaves I-84 in eastern Danbury as an expressway originating at Exit 7 and proceeding northeasterly into Brookfield. There are no recent Conn DOT high TASR or SLOSSS accident rate designations on this section of Route 7. Conn DOT 1999 average daily traffic volume was 49,800.