Ramp Placement Is Not

The Problem On Route 34

To the Editor:

I’m both amazed and bewildered how the state Department of Transportation (DOT) can already be working on a redesign of the I-84 exit ramps to Toddy Hill Road to solve traffic congestion in this area. Have they sought out public input? Have they studied traffic flows and the bottlenecks in the area? Apparently not, considering the information in the two articles that have appeared recently in The Bee. Anyone who travels through this area during peak commuting times would agree that the last thing that should be done is to force more turning traffic into/out of the Toddy Hill Road/Route 34 intersection — even if it did receive major improvements! The location of the on/off ramp isn’t the major problem, and it doesn’t require a six-year schedule and $10 million to fix. Anyone who has spent their time creeping through the area with their eyes open should have noticed that a series of traffic signal changes would go a long way towards improving the situation.

 First, extend the left hand turn signal from Route 34 onto Toddy Hill Road beyond its current ten- second duration. This signal is so short it only allows two vehicles to turn before changing. Too often traffic gets backed up Route 34 because of a single car waiting to make a left hand turn onto Toddy Hill Road blocks traffic flow. At the same time, a right hand turn signal should be installed for vehicles turning right from Route 34 onto Toddy Hill Road. This would prevent the constant interference from vehicles that fail to make any effort to slow down (let alone come to the complete stop they are obligated to), since they fail to recognize oncoming traffic has the right of way during the left hand turn arrow.

 The next problem is created by the inadequate left hand turn signal from Mile Hill Road at the I-84 on ramp. Currently, the left hand turn signal onto I-84 appears at the end of the green light cycle. This creates several problems — either oncoming traffic has already blocked the ramp, or cars wanting to turn left are forced to guess (i.e., wait) to determine if oncoming traffic has any intention of honoring their red light before they can begin to make their turn. Placing the left hand turn signal at the beginning of the cycle would not only improve traffic flow at this intersection, but would also help traffic flow at the Route 34/Mile Hill Road intersection.

 If we’re going to build anything to reduce traffic congestion in this area, how about an exit from the high school onto Oakview Road? This would allow cars leaving the high school that want to proceed west on Mile Hill Road (toward Route 25), from having to travel through two choke points. Charging high school students New York City parking rates to drive to school would also help reduce traffic and congestion; if it doesn’t, then at least it will help keep our taxes down! Two other roadway improvements that should be studied before we build more highway ramps — widening Route 34 at its intersections with Toddy Hill Road and Pole Bridge Road to allow cars to safely pass vehicles waiting to make left hand turns at these bottlenecks.

The traffic situation in this corridor certainly needs attention. Let’s just hope that the state DOT seriously studies the issues and looks at all the potential options it has to improve traffic flow — some of which can be done now without having to spend millions of dollars, while we work to find the best long term solutions for the area.

Regards,

Peter Sandler

4 Far Horizon Lane, Sandy Hook                           February 2, 2004