The state Department of Transportation (DOT) has scheduled a public information session on its  plans to make roadway improvements at and near the Exit 11 interchange of Interstate 84 to alleviate  traffic congestion and thus reduce the motor vehicle accident rate in that area.

The session is slated for Thursday, May 7, in the lecture hall in Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Road. DOT officials will be available at 6:30 pm for individual discussions with residents. A formal presentation on the road improvement plans is scheduled for 7 pm.

The Exit 11 interchange and adjacent roads are clogged with traffic during the morning and evening rush periods. Newtown High School’s proximity to Exit 11 increases traffic flow in the area, especially during the morning rush when students are arriving at school.

The Exit 11 interchange is large and elaborate. The interchange was constructed in the early 1970’s to serve as a high speed interchange to link I-84 to an expanded version of Route 25. The expanded Route 25, however, never was constructed, but the Exit 11 interchange has remained in place, serving as an elaborate set of on-ramps and off-ramps for I-84 in Sandy Hook.

The current construction cost estimate for the Exit 11 project is $13 million. Design costs would add between $1.95 million to $2.34 million to that sum. Project costs would be covered by federal and state funds.

The tentative starting time for the project is 2019. The project may take up to two construction seasons to complete. Construction seasons run from April through November. Roadways in the  area would remain open to traffic while construction proceeds.

The planned improvements in the Exit 11 area include road widenings, roadway realignments, the expansion of intersections, access improvements, and sight line enhancements. 

Paul M. Metsack, Jr, DOT project engineer, described the road construction plans this week.

Mr Metsack said that current information on the project is preliminary and is subject to change during the design phase.

Specifics

Work would include improving the intersection of Wasserman Way and the Exit 11 ramps, the intersection of Berkshire Road and Wasserman Way, and the intersection Berkshire Road and Toddy Hill Road, he said.

The project would include adding another left-turn lane at the end of the Exit 11 off-ramp and adding another travel lane on westbound Wasserman Way, Mr Metsack said.

The intersection of Wasserman Way and Berkshire Road would be realigned southward and another right-turn lane would be added on Wasserman Way.

Also, eastbound Berkshire Road would be widened to add another travel lane to it between its intersection with Wasserman Way and a point lying at least 500 feet east Toddy Hill Road.

Also, westbound Berkshire Road in that area would have an Exit 11 on-ramp installed to provide its traffic with direct access to the Exit 11 interchange. Traffic entering the interchange from that point could then directly proceed onto eastbound or onto westbound I-84. That new on-ramp would be built just east of Exit 11 overpasses which cross above Berkshire Road.

An additional travel lane would be built on westbound Berkshire Road in that area to facilitate traffic flow onto the new Exit 11 on-ramp, and also to accommodate two left-turn lanes on Toddy Hill Road at its intersection with Berkshire Road.

Also, modifications to the existing Exit 11 on-ramps would be made to accommodate the “traffic weave” pattern that would be created by vehicles entering the interchange via the new on-ramp.

A new right-turn lane would be constructed on eastbound Berkshire Road at the Toddy Hill Road intersection.

The northern end of Toddy Hill Road would be improved in a town project to replace the bridge that crosses above Curtis Pond Brook there, Mr Metsack said. That Toddy Hill Road improvement project would be done by the town before the state’s Exit 11 project, he said.

The town project which would be funded by federal and state grants is expected to cost more than $2 million.

On Berkshire Road near its intersection with Toddy Hill Road there is a “vertical crest curve” which poses travel problems. That crest curve on Berkshire would be lowered as part of the improvements.

Also, on westbound Berkshire Road a left-turn-only lane would be created for vehicles entering Toddy Hill Road.

Other improvements planned as part of the project include new sidewalks and a bypass-width road shoulder on westbound Berkshire Road near the Newtown High School driveway.

Also, the commuter parking lot on Wasserman Way  would be improved to  accommodate the turning  movements of busses.

 Mt Metsack said that the rights-of-way required for the project include several partial property acquisitions, two total acquisitions, and some slope easements.

 After the May 7 informational meeting, the Exit 11 project would be transferred to a highway design unit and then enter the preliminary design phase. It should take approximately 18 to 24 months to reach the point where the plans are 30 percent complete.

At that point,  a preliminary design public information meeting would be held and updated project information would be provided by DOT.

Preliminary plans for the Exit 11 project are available for public review at the town Public Works Department office at 4 Turkey Hill Road.