Contents
---
1. Introduction --- 2.
Roadway System
3a. I- 84 ---
3b.
RT 7 South --- 3c.
RT 7 North
4. Projects by Municipality --- 5.
Bus Plan --- 6.
Rail Plan
Other Elements 7a, 7b,
7c, 7d,
7e
--- 8.
Resource Center
1.
ROAD CLASSIFICATION BY FUNCTION
The classification of roadways by function is a fundamental
issue in transportation planning. It is a process by which
streets and highways are grouped into similar classes according
to the character of service they are intended to provide.
The classification designation influences the type of roadway
expansion projects to be proposed on the roadway.
Basic to this process is the recognition that individual roads
and streets do not serve travel independently in any major
way. Rather, most travel involves movement through a network
of roads. As traffic flows do not change their characteristics
at municipal boundaries, road classification is organized
on a regional and then state by state basis.
Given
the classification of roads, design criteria are then applied
to encourage the use of the road as intended. Design features
that can convey the level of classification to the driver
include number of lanes, continuity of alignment, spacing
of intersections, frequency of driveways, width of shoulders,
roadway alignment, grade standards, and traffic controls.
These decisions involve trade offs between traffic service
and community character. The classifications are described
below:
National Highway System:
Throughout the USA, the combination of all interstates and
some major arterials forms the National Highway System (NHS).
The NHS
is a federal designation of the very most important
roadways in the country, from the perspective of interstate
travel, defense, etc. A map
of the NHS in Connecticut is available from the
FHWA.
NHS routes shown in red.
To
our west in adjacent New York State the NHS includes Interstate
684 north-south and New York Route 22 north-south. Then entering
Danbury from the west, the NHS system across our Housatonic
Valley Region includes all of Interstate 84 thru Danbury,
Bethel, Brookfield and Newtown.
On the west side of Danbury where I-84's Exit 3 is the interface
between the intersection of Route 7 and I-84, all of Route
7 south from Danbury thru Ridgefield, Redding and Wilton is
NHS designated. It then interfaces in Norwalk with NHS designated
Route 15 (the Merritt Parkway) and then I-95, as an interstate
automatically included as an NHS route.
Proceeding easterly thru Danbury to I-84's Exit 7, where Route
7 leaves I-84 and proceeds north, all of Route 7 thru Brookfield
to New Milford Center is an NHS designated route. But once
in central New Milford, the NHS designation transfers off
of Route 7 to Route 202, where it proceeds northeasterly until
reaching the NHS designated Route 8 Expressway in Torrington.
Then
at I-84 Exit 10 in Newtown, Route 6 westerly to Route 25 is
an NHS route. At the intersection of Route 6 with Route 25
(the Flagpole) the designation transfers off of Route 6 to
Route 25, where it proceeds thru Newtown southeasterly thru
Monroe and Trumbull to the Merritt Parkway and I-95.
Aside
from the top level NHS, the remaining classification of roadways
by function within the Housatonic Valley Region, as defined
by Conn DOT using FHWA guidelines, is summarized as follows:
Interstate:
Limited access expressways that are part of the federal interstate
system. In our case Interstate I-84 originating in Pennsylvania
and terminating in Massachusetts. (As noted, all interstates
are within the NHS).
Arterials Overview: These roadways provide
the highest level of service at the greatest speed for the
longest uninterrupted distance, with some degree of access
control. Subcategories include:
Principal
Arterial: These roads serve the major movement
of traffic within the Region. Included in this class among
others are portions of Routes 7 and 25, portions of Routes
53 and 302 connecting Downtown Bethel with Downtown Danbury,
and the portion of Route 35 connecting Ridgefield Center to
Route 7. (As noted above, Routes 7 and 25 and a small section
of Route 6 are also in the NHS).
Routes with this classification are high traffic volume corridors
with the largest trip desires and carry a high proportion
of total vehicle travel on a minimum of roadway mileage.
Minor
Arterial: The minor arterial street system
interconnects with and augments the principal arterial system
above. It provides service to trips of moderate length at
a somewhat lower level of travel mobility than principal arterials.
This system distributes travel to geographic areas smaller
than those identified with the higher systems.
The
minor arterial street system contains facilities that place
more emphasis on land access than the higher system, and offer
a lower level of traffic mobility. Such facilities ideally
should not penetrate identifiable neighborhoods.
Examples
from this class of roads include Routes 67 and 109 in New
Milford, Route 202 in Brookfield, Route 37 in Danbury, Route
34 in Newtown, Route 58 in Redding, and parts of Route 116
in Ridgefield. Also, many town roads with an intertown travel
function are included by Conn DOT in the minor arterial classification.
Excerpt from map of Conn DOT roadway classifications
for the region.
Proceed
to view the entire regional map.
Collector:
These roadways provide a less highly developed level of service
at a lower speed for shorter distances by collecting traffic
from local roads and connecting them with arterials.
The
collector street system includes subclassifications of major
and minor and provides both land access service and traffic
circulation within residential neighborhoods, commercial and
industrial areas.
The
collector system differs from the arterial system in that
facilities on the collector system may penetrate residential
neighborhoods, distributing trips from the arterials through
the area to their ultimate destination.
Conversely,
the collector streets also collect traffic from local streets
in residential neighborhoods and channel it into the arterial
system. In central business districts, the collector system
may include the street grid which forms a logical entity for
traffic circulation.
Local:
The local street system consists of all roads not defined
as arterials or collectors. It primarily provides access to
land with little or no through movement.
These roadways offer the lowest level of mobility and primarily
serves to provide direct access to abutting land and to higher
order street systems. Through traffic movement on local streets
is usually deliberately discouraged.
The debate over local planning and zoning applications can
often relate to this classification system. Neighbors opposing
a development often say that the roadway classification is
too low for the type of traffic expected to be generated.
In contrast, development proponents can claim an automatic
traffic advantage when their proposal fronts upon an arterial
route.
HVCEO
can brings request for changes to this classification system
to the attention of Conn DOT. Over the years some of these
have been successfully made.
2. STATE ROADWAY SAFETY STATISTICS
Conn DOT in carrying out the provisions of
federal highway laws participates in funding various safety
planning and improvement projects. As part of these processes,
Conn DOT surveys and identifies the most hazardous accident
sites throughout the State. To use the details of this data
HVCEO staff must certify to Conn DOT that it will not make
the data public.
Physical
hazards such as drainage ditches and bridge abutments as well
as geometric hazards such as sight line restrictions contribute
to highway safety problems. High speeds and peak-hour conditions
significantly increase the opportunity for miscalculation
and accidents.
Improving
roadway safety is a
priority for regional transportation planning.
The basic
procedure at Conn DOT for identifying problem locations is
to determine an actual accident rate for a given site or area.
A "critical rate" is then computed to serve as the
criteria by which the actual accident rate will be judged.
This data is then used by Conn DOT, HVCEO and other planning
agencies to help identify high accident locations.
HVCEO
endorses the Conn DOT Strategic Highway Safety Plan as a guide
for both Conn DOT and HVCEO planning activities. This statewide
plan is required by federal transportation laws so that highway
safety programs can be data driven to maximize the ability
to set priority and getting the most benefit from each highway
safety dollar.
This plan states that the key areas of emphasis for Connecticut
are: traffic records and Information
systems, roadway departure, pedestrians and bicycles, work
zones, driver behavior involving alcohol, occupant protection
and speeding, motorcycle safety, issues with commercial vehicles,
and incident management.
3. MEASURING AND
REGULATING CONGESTION
Overview: Since congestion exists at many
locations and improvement funds are limited, quantitative
measurements to determine where traffic congestion is projected
to be most severe are very important for determining the priority
of public investments. Major HVCEO
traffic studies always include such statistics.
Similarly, projections of traffic are very important for local
land use commissions seeking to determine impacts of proposed
developments. The key indicator of existing or future congestion
is known as "level of service."
The "level
of service" reflects driver satisfaction with factors
that influence the degree of traffic congestion. These factors
include speed and travel time, traffic interruption, freedom
to maneuver, safety, driving comfort and convenience, and
delays. Transportation professionals utilize six levels (A
to F) of service to describe traffic flow conditions.
It is
important to state that any rigid adherence during an evaluation
to the A to F scale alone would represent less than a comprehensive
viewpoint. Traffic improvement decisions shape nearby aesthetics,
livability and growth pressures, and these factors should
temper rigid terminations based on the A to F scale.
The sacrifices needed to obtain level of service "C"
may not be warranted if they reduce the community character
in the vicinity to "F!"
According
to the January 2001 issue of Planning Magazine "Virtually
all DOT's have adopted level of service standards. Typically,
the standard for urban areas is C or D, while the standard
for suburban areas is B or C. As traffic volumes increase
to the point where the standard is no longer met, a road and
its intersections often will be widened regardless of the
effects on adjacent land uses.
The alternative
is to accept congestion in areas that function as destinations.
Since 1993, Florida has allowed its local governments to exempt
streets through downtowns and urban redevelopment areas from
level of service standards. Many cities and towns have taken
this option."
This A
to F scale is a key management tool and as noted is referred
to in HVCEO and also Conn DOT technical reports. HVCEO relies
upon this scale in its lobbying efforts since documentation
that a proposed traffic improvement will change the level
from E up to C is more persuasive than simple generalities
about solving driver delays.
HVCEO advises inserting a reference to the A to F scale directly
into local zoning regulations. A good example of this is in
the zoning of Brookfield, CT, where Section 242-602G reads
"Where it is projected that the additional traffic resulting
from the project will reduce the level of service to D or
below, the Commission shall not approve the project unless
and until provision has been made for the improvement of said
condition." Thus the townwide standard for Brookfield's
roads is C-.
Traffic
Impact Assessments: Traffic impact assessments are
often prepared to define the impact on existing roadways of
a proposed land use change, such as a new development. Typically,
they are prepared for the applicant by a registered professional
engineer as part of a planning and zoning application, with
review and approval the responsibility of local and state
agencies.
The traffic report describes potential traffic impacts, and
where necessary, possible mitigating measures. It is not always
easy for a volunteer zoning commission member to be able to
understand a traffic report. In response, HVCEO has created
an easy to read handbook on this topic.
This handbook was honored in 1984 by the Federal Highway Administration
by being reproduced in large quantities as a model for national
distribution.
As the advice is timeless, the FHWA continues to offer
this report on its web site.
If conditions
D, E, or F are found, improvements may be incorporated, if
necessary, to provide acceptable level of service C, safe
traffic operations and efficient traffic flow. If improvements
are recommended, future service levels should be evaluated
with the proposed modifications in place.
Controlling
Congestion: Both municipalities and the State of
Connecticut have the dual overlapping authority to regulate
traffic generators to avoid traffic congestion. To regulate
traffic issues related to land use changes, Conn DOT utilizes
a permitting procedure for encroachment to state highways.
In addition the State Traffic Commission (STC) and STC permits
provide a system for major traffic generators under Sec. 14-311
of the Connecticut General Statutes.
The statute states that no person or public agency shall build,
expand, establish or operate any development generating large
volumes of traffic, having an exit or entrance on, or abutting
or adjoining any state highway or substantially affecting
state highway traffic without obtaining from the STC a certificate
that the facility will not imperil public safety.
The STC
reviews applications and determines whether or not site access
and/or off-site roadway improvements are required to mitigate
any adverse traffic impacts resulting from a new or expanding
traffic generator. This can be expensive, and any improvements
required as a result of the review are to be borne by the
applicant at no cost to the town, state or municipality.
Any land
use development project that requires the construction or
modification of a driveway to a State highway must also have
received a Conn DOT encroachment permit (Sec. 13a-143a, CGS).
This permit process is designed to assure the proper design
and implementation of such driveways and accompanying off-site
improvements.
Each municipally
in the State has a designated Local Traffic Authority who
has the legal responsibility for approving changes in traffic
operations or reviewing proposals which may impact traffic
flow. Within the Housatonic Valley Region, the designated
LTA is usually the chief elected official or the chief of
police.
Local
regulations may also be adopted for the assessment and control
of traffic impact through site plan and special permit/exception
procedures. Subdivision regulations at the local level also
provide for the proper design of intersections, driveways,
and roadways.
4.
DRIVEWAY MANAGEMENT
PLANS WITHIN LOCAL ZONING
It is a basic property right that each property owner along
a roadway is entitled to access the roadway. As property development
is approved thru local planning and zoning, and also thru
Conn DOT District 4 and State Traffic Commission processes,
conditions for access to local and state roadways are routinely
set by zoning and planning officials.
However,
the limitations for this parcel by parcel process have become
obvious in recent years. As each driveway is a potential conflict
point for turning vehicles, any effort to reduce their total
number, align them across the road and opposite from each
other, and improve their placement in business zones is in
the public interest.
Many existing
curb cuts preceded modern levels of local and state regulatory
scrutiny. As uses change and properties are more intensely
developed, local commissions need guidance from a traffic
engineer as to the proper arrangements for driveways. The
need in this situation is for linear “curb cut and driveway
management plans” along major nonresidential corridors.
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.
Excerpt
from the 6/2005 Ridgefield
Route
35 Driveway and Curb Cut Management Plan,
HVCEO Planning Bulletin # 115, now incorporated
into the Ridgefield Zoning Regulations
Area zoning
commissions have significant statutory authority to include
driveway and access concerns and such planning maps in permit
review activities. First, Section 7-148 of the Connecticut
General Statutes authorizes municipalities to regulate traffic.
And then, Section 8-2 permits zoning regulations to be designed
to lessen congestion in the streets.
Importantly
for fairness, there is no enforcement for existing properties
not in conformance with the plan when the owner is not seeking
any new local or state permits.
Generally the development community has favored these curb
cut plans, as they let them know what the commission is seeking
in advance as their site plans are drawn. The proposed curb
cut drawings provide a base of policy the developers own consultants
can react to.
Curb cut plans adopted in the area have been applied flexibly,
allowing the developer to offer a better option and to permit
some interaction on driveway locations to take place. The
point is that the curb cut plan gives the commission a recommendation
by a traffic engineer as a minimum to protect public safety,
rather than having no technical backup when negotiating with
the developer on the issue of driveways.
When Conn
DOT undertakes state roadway widening or rebuilding, it makes
an effort to use HVCEO’s corridor driveway and curb
cut plans in roadway redevelopment. HVCEO has produced corridor
access management plans for municipalities as follows:
BETHEL
DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1997: Route 6 from the Danbury Line easterly thru Stony
Hill to the Newtown Line.
2) 2008: The Route 6 Plan above was updated as part of a municipal
Route 6 Corridor Plan funded in part by HVCEO.
BROOKFIELD
DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1994: Routes 805 and 202, from the Danbury line northerly
along Federal Road to the New Milford Line.
DANBURY
DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1985: Route 6 from the New York State Line easterly to
I-84 Interchange 4.
2) 1994: Route 805 (Federal Road) from White Street northerly
to the Brookfield Line.
3) 1996: Route 7 from the Ridgefield Line northerly to the
Route 7 Expressway.
4) 1996: Route 37 from Hayestown Avenue northerly to the New
Fairfield Line.
NEW
FAIRFIELD DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1996: Route 37 from the Danbury Line northerly to the Town
Center at Route 39.
NEW
MILFORD DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1997: Route 7 from the Brookfield Line northerly to Route
37, updated in 2007 to the Kent Line.
2) 2007: Update above and add remainder of Route 7 and add
Route 202 from Route 7 northeasterly to the Washington Line.
NEWTOWN
DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1995: Route 25 from the Monroe Line northerly to Route
6 at the Flagpole.
2) 1997: Routes 6 and 25 in the Hawleyville I-84 Interchange
9 Area.
3) 2008: Update above and add other state roadways in Newtown.
REDDING DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1996: Route 7 from the Ridgefield Line northerly to the
second Ridgefield Line.
RIDGEFIELD
DRIVEWAY LOCATION PLANS:
1) 1996: Route 7 northerly from the Redding Line to the Danbury
Line.
2) 2005: Route
35 northerly from the NY Line to Route 7.
5.
ROUNDABOUTS
A relatively new intersection design format in the United
States is the exciting concept of “roundabouts”.
These have become very popular in Europe and are now being
built all over the USA.
While they look and function something like rotaries, roundabouts
are much smaller and slower, avoiding the high speeds and
accident rates of the rotary concept, now in disfavor. Check
these web sites:
The modern
roundabout has yield at entry control. It can move more cars
more safety than modern signalized intersections.
From a traffic safety expert’s point of view, they have
only one fourth as many potential contact points as a conventional
intersection. The most serious type of crash, head on, is
no longer possible with this design. Importantly, their circular
centers can be landscaped to complement a surrounding attractive
area.
The yield
at entry feature allows drivers to slip into traffic gaps
in the slow moving circle, optimizing timing even better than
a computer managed traffic signal. While with a signal only
one or two movements can enter the intersection at a time,
with a roundabout all legs can enter simultaneously.
Roundabouts
are good traffic calming devices, avoid ugly signals, and
are increasingly favored by landscape architects, preservationists
and citizens groups.
Capacity
and safety advantages of a roundabout
at the intersection of Route 302 with Route 53 in Bethel
are detailed at the end of a discussion of Route
53 North.
An inventory
of roundabouts in Connecticut and nearby New York State as
of November 2006 is available below. Thanks to Bob White of
NorthEast Area Roundabouts for his assistance in generating
the list. And special thanks to Will Britnell of Conn DOT
for informal commentary on many of the designs, noted by quotation
marks attributed to WB.
CONNECTICUT
Coventry, CT built a roundabout at Daly Road
and South Street.
Goshen, CT has had an intersection redesigned as
a roundabout (view
photos) at Routes 4 and 63. “This design
does not yet meet current standards. It uses painted islands
instead of raised islands. Conn DOT will be upgrading it but
probably not until 2008 - WB”.
Greenwich,
CT has a temporary roundabout (view
photos) at the intersection of two local roads,
King Street and Rye Lake Avenue. Other Greenwich: "There
are apparently two on Lake Ave near the Hospital (I-95 Exit
3) and also two more on Sound Beach Road. I am told that none
of these is signed or marked properly, but they operate as
roundabouts - WB."
Killingworth,
CT at the intersection of Routes 80 and 81. "Very
skewed alignments and current design allows for high speeds.
Will be upgraded hopefully in 2007 but more likely in 2008
- WB."
Madison,
CT at Routes 80 and 79, "old traffic circle
was converted to yield on entry, but overall size (300' +/-
diameter) is still too large to be considered a true roundabout
- WB."
North Stonington, CT Route 2 at Route 184.
"Another converted old circle, but too large to be a
true roundabout - WB".
New
London, CT two roundabouts near Pfizer Global Development
facility. The location is Shaw Street at Howard Street and
Willets Avenue then Shaw Street at Pequot Avenue, Nameaug
Street and Drive to Pfizer.
Seymour,
CT at Route 188 with Route 334. “Very poor
geometrics at present, and will be upgraded in 2008 or 2009
- WB.”
Roundabout on Hayden Station Road in Windsor,
CT
Stafford,
CT Rotary on Route 32 at the intersection
with Route 190 was retrofitted into a roundabout. “While
this location was recently modified with new signs and markings,
it is still a confusing area due to other non-roundabout intersections
and a railroad grade crossing - WB.”
South
Windsor, CT at the Evergreen Walk Mall (article
on mall). "Technically a town owned road,
but really a shopping center road. Does have significant volumes
at times - WB."
Windsor, CT two roundabouts on locally maintained
Hayden Station Road in a suburban residential neighborhood,
near Exit 39 off I-91. “These were installed more for
traffic calming purposes than for traffic control, but they
have moderate volumes. They are on the small side and use
flush splitter islands instead of the typical raised splitters
- WB.”
Windsor,
CT on Prospect Hill Road at Lange Road (entrance
to an industrial park). "This is about 10 years old so
it isn't up to current design standards, but it is pretty
close - WB."
NEARBY NEW YORK STATE
Kingston, NY traffic circle redesigned as a roundabout
at Thruway Exit 19.
Malta, NY, Mulit-roundabout corridor that
will be expanded with additional roundabouts in coming years.
Part of chain of 5 roundabouts in Malta, NY
Other New York State "In addition
to the above, there are single lane roundabouts in the New
York State towns of North Haven, Rochester (RIT campus), Great
Neck, Voorhesville, Greenwich (pronounced green-witch, like
the color, not Gren as in the CT town), Plattsburgh and Ithaca
(apparently installed without the New York DOT's knowledge,
so it may or may not be a good design).
And double lane roundabouts are found in
Corning (two in a row), Rome (at the former Griffiss Air Force
Base), and Latham. There are also some that either planned,
in construction, or may in fact be built by now: Johnson City,
Colonie, Troy, Buffalo area total of 7, Liberty, Kinderhook,
and Glens Falls area total of 3.
I have the actual locations for some of these, so if
you'd like more information about any of these locations,
let me know. New York is said to be averaging 15 new roundabouts
per year, so there are probably others - WB."
Informal
Conn DOT Comment of 11/06: "None of the roundabouts
on Connecticut State roads are what I would consider good
examples of a truly modern roundabout, but they can be helpful
to see what not to do when designing one.
The best examples of a true modern roundabout operating with
significant volumes, in my opinion, would be the two in New
London and the three in Windsor. None are "perfect"
in my opinion, but they are good examples - WB."
6.
LOCAL BRIDGE GRANT PROGRAM
A program
to upgrade local bridges is maintained by Conn
DOT. To qualify, a local bridge must be on a public road and
be structurally deficient. Section 13a-175s of the CT General
Statutes requires Conn DOT to maintain a list of eligible
bridges and establish a priority list for their improvement.
The priority
ranking process makes use of a “sufficiency rating”
which evaluates the overall structural character of the bridge.
Entirely sufficient is 100% and 0% is an entirely deficient
bridge.
Each year
municipalities may make applications to Conn DOT for bridge
repair funds for their lowest ranked bridges. Eligible local
bridges, both over and under 20 feet, are contained in a Conn
DOT “Local Bridge Program” report.
The need for improved flexibility in rural road and bridge
design was recognized throughout Connecticut in the 1990's.
In numerous instances, the design standards required by Conn
DOT when federal or state funds were used for road and bridge
construction were considered excessive by local officials
and out of scale with the rural character that area residents
are interested in protecting.
Attractive results of revised Conn
DOT
standards for local bridge improvement grants
In the 1997 legislative session a new law passed that provided
for the granting of "exceptions" to state standards
for bridges by Conn DOT "in the event that site conditions,
environmental factors, engineering factors or considerations
of community standards and custom would reasonably allow for
a departure from the standards for geometric design with respect
to bridges established by the American Association of State
Highway and Transportation Officials or by the Department
of Transportation."
A related
bridge design issue is the height
of bridges over the roadway needed to meet minimum
state standards.
7. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Traffic
Calming Techniques: The term "traffic
calming" is often described as the combination
of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative effects
of motor vehicle use and improve conditions for nonmotorized
street users. However, the term "traffic calming"
also applies to a number of transportation techniques developed
to educate the public and provide awareness to unsafe driver
behavior.
As traffic
calming techniques often differ, techniques include police
enforcement and education only in some areas. In others, it
means the employment of speed humps only, while in others
it means the possible use of a wide array of techniques and
devices.
Context
Sensitive Design: In the past, transportation planners
and engineers were often more concerned with the efficiency,
capacity, and safety of a roadway for motor vehicles than
on the impacts such roads may have on the surrounding environment
and communities they serve. This approach often created undesirable
conditions, including excessive vehicle travel speeds, unsafe
environments for pedestrians, the loss of convenient on-street
parking, and adverse affects on local businesses.
Recently,
transportation planners and engineers have begun utilizing
a new approach to roadway design called Context
Sensitive Design, also referred to as Context
Sensitive Solutions. This approach seeks to design new roadways
or modify existing ones to suit all users – motor vehicles,
bicyclists, pedestrians, and public transportation passengers.
Additionally, to preserve and enhance the character of the
surrounding community.
Conn
DOT Design Manual: The latest edition of the CT highway
Design Manual was adopted by Conn DOT in 2003. A copy is available
for review in the HVCEO office. This Manual is the guide for
all state roadway changes. However, it is also the guide for
municipal roads affected by proposed highway construction
using federal or state funding. The January 1999 modification
was in some ways favorable to advocates of scenic and rural
preservation. Specific modifications in the revised Manual
included:
Lane
Widths: For federal “3R” (resurfacing,
restoration, and rehabilitation) projects on rural local roads,
the revised Manual provides for a 9'-12' range of lane widths.
The actual lane width selected for a particular improvement
project will be determined by the designer “based on
an overall assessment of the conditions and constraints within
and adjacent to the project”. This modification provides
improved local flexibility in decisions regarding lane width
on rural local roads.
Shoulder
Widths: For 3R project on rural local roads, the
revised Manual establishes a 0'-4' range for shoulder widths.
As with lane widths, the designer will be responsible for
determining the appropriate shoulder width for rural local
road improvement projects. This modification also provides
improved local flexibility in roadway improvement design.
According to Conn DOT, this flexibility could, in most cases,
allow for the reconstruction of a road within its current
footprint. For rural local collectors, a shoulder width range
of 2'-8' has been established under the revised Manual.
Unpaved
Shoulders: The revised Manual emphasizes that graded,
unpaved shoulders may be used on municipally maintained roadways.
This revision is significant, and will serve to protect rural
character by encouraging unpaved shoulders where appropriate
on locally maintained roads.
Minimum
and Desirable Criteria: The revised Manual no longer
refers to minimum and desirable criteria. Instead, the Manual
establishes a design range of values, which will allow designers
greater flexibility in selecting appropriate improvement measures.
Focus
on Design Flexibility: Additional narrative has been
included in the revised Manual to emphasize the importance
of scenic, cultural, and historic resources in defining appropriate
roadway improvements. Conn DOT plans on conducting training
sessions for designers to emphasize these important aspects
of roadway design.
8. DESIGNATED SCENIC ROADS
In 1981 the Connecticut General Assembly enacted Section 7-149a
of the General Statutes, the State’s "Scenic Roads
Act." This enabling legislation has authorized cities
and towns to designate lightly traveled local roadways characterized
by identified scenic qualities as protected scenic roads.
HVCEO maintains a detailed inventory of local
scenic road designations within the Region, the
designations by Bridgewater, Danbury, New Milford, Newtown,
Redding and Ridgefield.
Scenically
Designated Poverty Hollow Road in Redding, CT
For designation
as a local scenic road the road must, by law, be free of intensive
commercial development and must meet at least one of the following
criteria: it is unpaved; it offers scenic views; it is bordered
by mature trees or stone walls; the traveled portion is no
more than twenty feet wide in width; it blends naturally into
the surrounding terrain; or it parallels or crosses over brooks,
streams, lakes or ponds.
In addition,
for designation to occur the owners of a majority of the land
fronting the roadway (or portion to be designated) must agree
to the designation by filing a written statement of approval
with the town. Usually this takes the form of a petition signed
by abutting owners, which will then be verified by the municipal
assessor to assure that more than fifty per cent of the road
frontage concurs with the designation.
By adopting
a scenic road ordinance and designating a certain road as
a scenic road, a municipality may more firmly regulate improvements
or changes to the roadway which would alter its character.
Such alterations include widening, paving, straightening,
changes in grade, and removal of mature trees or stone walls,
whether proposed by municipal departments, utilities or abutting
property owners.
A scenic
road ordinance does not interfere with normal maintenance
activities, nor prevent essential safety improvements or the
construction of new roads or private driveways which intersect
with the designated scenic road.
As reflected
in the State enabling act and seven scenic road ordinances
which have been adopted in the Housatonic Valley Region (Brookfield
adopted the ordinance but has not designated any roads), the
clear intent of this regulatory process is to protect and
preserve those areas of exceptional scenic beauty which occur
along our more rural roads.
Redding works to
maintain the attractive appearance of its state roadways.
Shown here is Route 53 northbound by the Saugatuck Reservoir,
the only state designated scenic roadway in the Region.
Provisions
are also made in the Connecticut General Statutes for the
designation of state scenic roads. The designation of a state
road as scenic is enabled by Section 13b-31b-31e of the CGS.
There is at present only one state designated scenic road
in the Region. This is Route 53 in Redding (Newtown Turnpike
and Glen Road), from the Weston Town Line to Route 107.
A study of scenic road potential for the Route 7 corridor
from New Milford northward suggested that the portion of Route
7 in New Milford from Gaylordsville north to the Kent Town
Line would also qualify.
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