DOT Slows Down Rt. 25 Traffic Light Removal Plans

MONROE, CT — The State Department of Transportation plans to collect more traffic data after several residents, business owners and town officials expressed concerns over the potential removal of the traffic light at Route 25 and Bradford Drive.

“As a result of the public info meeting held in Monroe, the Department’s Division of Traffic Engineering plans to collect additional traffic volume data based on citizen feedback,” said DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick in an email to Patch. “Once this is done, another warrant analysis will be performed.”

Once that is done DOT officials will confer with town officials on how to proceed with the next steps, which could include putting the traffic light into flashing operation for a 90-day test period. Engineering data would be collected and analyzed during that time.

“Removal of the signal could only be recommended if the engineering data collected during the study period confirms that the signal is no longer needed,” Nursick said.

A DOT study found that there was more than enough sightline and that traffic wasn’t dense enough to warrant a traffic control signal. Traffic volume counts were conducted in January 2018 and during a Memorial Day weekend day. However, Monroe First Selectman Kenneth Kellogg contends that the data may not accurately reflect daily traffic, especially during the summer months when more residents are out and about. He requested DOT collect more traffic data.

“Several residents are concerned about safety, and strongly feel that the relatively low crash rates at the intersection demonstrate the value of the traffic signal,” Kellogg said in a letter to the DOT on June 11.

There were five crashes at the intersection between 2016 and 2018, most of which only involved property damage, according to the DOT.

Kellogg also said that the Stepney Fire Company believes removing the signal could negatively impact response time for their volunteer firefighters.

The traffic light was first installed in 1987 and a left-turn lane was installed on the northbound approach in 1990, according to a DOT summary of the proposed project.