Highway and Main Street Plans: Public Presentation Tomorrow

Removal of Traffic Signals on Route 9 and Main Street Improvements

A PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETING 

MARCH 22, 2018 AT 7:00 PM

MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL, 200 LA ROSA LANE 

Tomorrow the Connecticut Department of Transportation will present its new plans for traffic through our downtown.

The plans would lead to the most significant change in traffic in our city for at least a generation. All of the Route 9 northbound autos and trucks that currently pass through downtown on Washington Street would instead enter the city via a new elevated highway ramp ending on Rapallo Avenue; if heading west the DOT believes they would travel 3 blocks south on Main Street, and turn right onto Washington. In order to handle the increased traffic downtown, the DOT proposes to narrow Main Street at cross-walks, allowing for shorter and safer pedestrian crossings and consequent shorter stoplight cycles. 

The full description is HERE.

The Eye has published two opinion pieces opposing this plan (The DOT Plan: Bad for Middletown, and William Corvo: Route 9 Proposal Is Bad For City), we welcome any other signed opinion pieces, or comments, and encourage all to voice their opinion at the meeting.  If you can't attend the meeting, send written testimony to erik.jarboe@ct.gov

Below are computer graphic images of the proposal (click on images to enlarge)

Overview of the project (click to enlarge)

Main Street, with narrowing at cross-walks

Re-design of St. John's Square, and the Rapallo/Main/Grand intersection

At the intersection of Main and Washington Street, crosswalks remain long

Most Main Street pedestrian crossings would be shortened from 85 feet to 55 feet

An elevated highway offramp puts all northbound traffic onto Rapallo Avenue

The highway offramp might have a parking lot

The highway offramp, viewed from Rapallo

Aerial view of elevated highway offramp ending on Rapallo

Southbound highway is elevated to allow northbound traffic
to pass under and enter without stoplight

Southbound entrance to highway from Washington Street

  

Northbound highway.
All of the southbound traffic is elevated, to allow a northbound on-ramp

Aerial view of highway 

Left lane exit is elevated, Northbound. This ends on Rapallo