Sherman's Route 39, running eight and one quarter miles from the New Fairfield Town Line north to terminate at Route 55, is designated by Conn DOT as a minor arterial route for just its first 2000 feet and then as a rural major collector route northerly to its terminus at Route 55. This route number dates back to the mid-thirties. This switch from arterial to collector is due to a federal determination of a general lessening of density at this location, and is not due to a significant change in traffic characteristics.

From the Conn DOT perspective, important intersections on Sherman's Route 39 will be those at other Conn DOT arterial or collector designated roadways interacting with it. There are four such intersections, all connecting with rural major collector routes; 1 and 2) at both intersections with Route 37 at the south end and then the north end of Sherman Center 3) with Taber Road and 4) with Route 55.

The 1978 Town Plan noted several Town maintained roads that from the local perspective warranted designation as collector routes. Along Route 39 these included Wanzer Hill Road, Leach Hollow Road, Cozier Hill Road, Spring Lake Road, Church Road, Taber Road and then Anderson Road.

Local road names applied to Route 39 include New Fairfield Road from that town boundary northerly to the south junction with Route 37 at the beginning of the Town Center area, as Greenwoods Hill Road through the Town Center area to the north junction with Route 39, and then as Gaylordsville Road northerly to Route 55.

Conn DOT's 2000 average daily traffic volumes show 4,000 vehicles on Route 39 along the segment from the New Fairfield Town Line northerly to Leach Hollow Road, then 3000 north to the south junction with Route 37, followed by 6,000 along the .45 mile segment where Routes 37 and 39 overlap thru Sherman Center, then 4,200 along Route 39 north to Spring Lake Road, dropping to 3,000 up to Church Road, then less at 2,300 between Church Road and Taber Road, and finally a low 1,600 from Taber Road northerly to the terminus of Route 39 at its intersection with Route 55.



ROUTE 39 IN SHERMAN FROM NEW FAIRFIELD
LINE TO ROUTE 37 (SOUTH JUNCTION)
Entering from New Fairfield, Route 39 remains within the Candlewood Lake Watershed, designated by the HVCEO Growth Guide as a potential future water supply source. The roadway remains within the Candlewood Watershed until a point near Gelston Road beyond Sherman Center.

The first safety statistic of note is found just to the north of the New Fairfield Town Line. This is at the intersection of Route 39 with Wanzer Hill Road, which provides access to the east into the Candlewood Hills community. There is a steep downgrade on Wanzer Hill Road at its westerly approach to Route 39.

At this intersection the 1995-97 TASR rate is 0%. However, this was preceded by 185% for 1992-94, 130% for 1989-91 and 89% for 1987-89, substantial evidence of a problematic location.

As for types of accidents here, a review in 2001 by HVCEO's traffic engineer indicated that four accidents occurred at this intersection in a seven-year period from 1993-1999, three collisions involved turning vehicles and one rear end collision. The rear end collision involved a vehicle heading west down Wanzer Hill Road. All three turning collisions involved vehicles turning from Route 39 on to Wanzer Hill Road.

The HVCEO traffic engineer found that "The steep grade on Wanzer Hill Road and the sharp angle of this intersection make it difficult for vehicles to make a smooth transition from Route 39 and Wanzer Hill Road. High travel speeds on Route 39 and limited sight distance to the south may also contribute to the accident rate."

Continuing, "Since Route 39 cannot easily be widened to add a bypass lane, attempting to slow travel speeds should be considered. This might be accomplished through the addition of signs warning of the intersection or through increased speed limit enforcement." In other words, there is no easily constructed solution to improve traffic safety here.

Proceeding north another one and one half miles on Route 39, there are no TASR rates of note until reaching the opposing intersections with Leach Hollow Road on the west and Orchard Rest Road on the east. Here the 1995-97 TASR was a low 44%. However, this was preceded by 183% for 1992-94, 135% for 1989-91 and 89% for 1987-89, again considerable historic evidence of elevated rates. Both local side roads approach Route 39 on an upward slope, with Route 39 itself at this point beginning a northward ascent.

As for types of accidents here, a review of recent Conn DOT accident data by HVCEO's traffic engineer indicated that three angle collisions and one turning collision took place at this intersection in a seven-year period from 1993-1999. Two of the angle collisions involved motorists traveling eastbound from Leach Hollow Road onto Route 39 without granting right-of-way to a southbound vehicle on Route 39.

Limited sight distance to the left from Leach Hollow Road, and high travel speeds on Route 39 southbound, may have contributed to these accidents. The remaining angle collision took place between a westbound vehicle approaching the intersection along Orchard Rest Road and a northbound vehicle on Route 39. Similarly, limited sight distance to the left from Orchard Rest Road may have contributed to this accident.

As noted, both Leach Hollow Road and Orchard Rest Road feature downgrades in the directions away from Route 39. Consequently, vehicles approaching from either side street are below the grade of the Route 39 roadway, further limiting visibility.

The traffic engineer noted that "Since this feature of the intersection would likely be costly to remedy, an alternative approach would be to slow traffic speeds on Route 39. This might be accomplished through the installation of warning signs indicating the presence of a dangerous intersection or recommending an advisory speed. Also, increased speed limit enforcement might be considered."

Route 39 then continues northward for one and three quarters miles, an easy, attractive and relatively straight ride, without encountering any problematic TASR safety rates.

But then from the intersection with Cedar Lane north to Route 37, a segment of about one tenth mile, the TASR was 189% for 1995-97, 0% for 1992-94, 131% for 1989-91 and 86% for 1987-89, indicating an area of concern. The approach of Cedar Lane to Route 39 is on a downgrade, and at a sharp angle with Route 39.

A traffic engineering review here in 2001 indicated that the eight accidents which occurred at this location in a seven-year period from 1993-1999 consisted of two rear end collisions, two backing collisions, two fixed object collisions, one angle collision and one collision involving turning vehicles. Both fixed object collisions involved vehicles heading northbound on Route 39 under snowy conditions.

"Limited visibility may have contributed to the two rear-end collisions that involved northbound vehicles stopped at the stop sign. High speeds may have contributed to these four accidents, possibly warranting increased warning signs along the northbound approach to the intersection."

The four remaining collisions associated with these TASR rates along this segment took place at the intersection of Route 39 and the commercial driveway to the Post Office/shopping plaza. For perspective on that location, please see the discussion above under the Route 37 section.



ROUTE 39 IN SHERMAN FROM ROUTE 37
(SOUTH JUNCTION) TO ROUTE 55
Combined Routes 37 and 39 then pass thru the Sherman Center Area, to the north intersection with Route 37. For a discussion of the Route 39 legs of this intersection, please see the text in the Route 37 section.

Moving north along Route 39, it should be noted that between the two intersections with Gelston Road, Route 39 passes out of the Candlewood Lake Watershed, entering areas that drain directly to the Housatonic River.

At the intersection with Church Road and Briarwood Road, the TASR rates are 0% for both the 1995-97 and 1992-94 reporting periods, but then in earlier periods 173% for 1989-91 and 163% for 1987-89. There is a grassed triangular island on the Church Street approach, with a landmark being the sign for the Sherman Congregational Church which is nearby on Church Road.

Taber Road, intersecting from the west with Route 39 about one and one quarter miles north of Church Road, is noted for providing access westerly to New York Stateês Route 22 (about six miles distant via Dutchess Countyês Route 66).

Taber Road faces Edmonds Road across Route 39. TASR rates show some past issues at this four way intersection, with 0% for 1995-97, 82% for 1992-94, 73% for 1989-91 and 212% for 1987-98, that last very high rate hopefully an anomaly and not to return.

Scenic driving continues as we reach the intersection with Anderson Road, where the TASR was 95% for 1995-97, but consistently 0% for the earlier 1992-94, 1989-91 and 1987-89 reporting periods. Therefore this recent statistic may well be an anomaly.

For the approximately eleven hundred foot segment of Route 39 between Anderson Road north to Anderson Road Extension the TASR was 122% for 1995-97, 119% for 1992-94, 0% for both 1989-91 and 1987-89. TASR rates along this roadway segment will need monitoring to determine if a safety issue is actually emerging.

Route 39 then continues north for more than three quarters of a mile before the next problematic safety statistic, this on the Route 39 leg approaching the Route 55 intersection. TASR rates have been generally falling here; 0% for 1995-97, 71% for 1992-94, 179% for 1989-91 and 126% for 1987-89.

As for the Route 55 legs of the intersection with Route 39, TASR rates are consistently modest: 56% for 1995-97, 50% for 1992-94, 24% for 1989-91 and 43% for 1987-89.

The 1978 Sherman Plan of Development cited eight high accident locations in Sherman, with one of these eight being the intersection of Routes 39 and 55. But past high rates are not in evidence today.

Route 39 intersects Route 55 in the middle of a 23 degree curve on Route 55, and the intersectional and stopping sight distances here were for many years restricted by a wooded embankment. But in the late nineties this sight line was improved via State project #0127-0085, which included the cut back of obstructions on the north side of Route 55 facing the Route 39 approach. The speed limit on Route 55 here in this curve area remains a low 25 miles per hour.