Congresswoman Nancy Johnson Backs Church Hill Road Improvement Project
Congresswoman Nancy Johnson Backs Church Hill Road Improvement Project
By Andrew Gorosko
A federal grant application for funds to make a range of improvements along the congested section of Church Hill Road, just west of the Exit 10 interchange of Interstate 84, has gained the backing of US Representative Nancy Johnson.
The section of Church Hill Road extending westward from Exit 10 to Commerce Road is the road section with the highest rate of motor vehicle accidents in the ten-town Housatonic Valley Planning Region. Church Hill Road, which also is known as Route 6, is part of the federal highway system.
In a recent submission to federal officials, Community Development Director Elizabeth Stocker seeks $4.46 million in federal grant money for Church Hill Road improvements. In the past, the town had unsuccessfully sought state funding for the improvement project to enhance travel safety and improve traffic flow.
Brian S. Schubert, spokesman for Ms Johnson, said March 2, âThis is a worthy project that will improve both traffic safety and flow.
âIt will be a big improvement for the town. Nancy is working hard on several fronts to help Newtown achieve its goals on this project,â Mr Schubert said.
It remains unclear when federal legislation for grant funding will be addressed by Congress, he added.
A main component of the project would involve shifting the intersection of Edmond Road and Church Hill Road from its current location near Exit 10 westward about 250 feet to the area directly across Church Hill Road from Commerce Road.
A new four-way intersection of Church Hill Road, Edmond Road, and Commerce Road would be controlled by a set of new traffic signals. The Church Hill Road-Commerce Road intersection is now controlled by traffic signals.
The project also would construct additional vehicle turning lanes at the proposed four-way intersection to enhance traffic flow. An existing approximately 650-foot-long section of Edmond Road, which lies immediately north of Church Hill Road, would be taken out of use.
Many commercial trucks travel on Edmond Road. The road improvement project would include upgrading the drainage system on the deteriorated Edmond Road.
Making a left turn from Edmond Road onto eastbound Church Hill Road is especially difficult due to heavy traffic in the area. A stop sign posted at the end of Edmond Road now controls the traffic exiting that street.
The road improvement project would relocate and modify the parking lots for Newtown Pizza Palace at 65 Church Hill Road and for Newtown Shell Service at 67 Church Hill Road. Construction would also include modifying the driveway for the Blue Colony Diner at 66 Church Hill Road.
New sets of traffic signals would be installed at Church Hill Roadâs intersections with I-84âs eastbound and westbound Exit 10 ramps, as well as at the new four-way intersection of Church Hill Road, Commerce Road, and Edmond Road. The three sets of traffic signals would be synchronized to maximize traffic flow through the area.
The Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO) has endorsed the townâs application for the $4.46 million in federal funds for road improvement project.