2. Notice of Scoping for Removal of Traffic Signals on Route 9 and Associated Improvements
Address of possible location: Route 9 between log miles 22.9 and 25.4. At the southern limit, the proposed project begins near the Eastern Drive interchange (Exit 22) and extends to the north and terminates near the Route 99 interchange (Exit 25).
Municipality where proposed action might be located: Middletown, Connecticut
Project Description: Route 9 is a major north/south route connecting Old Saybrook and West Hartford. Through the downtown Middletown area, it is flanked by the Connecticut River to the east and an active Providence and Worcester Railroad line to the west.
The purpose of the project is to improve safety and reduce congestion. The presence of two traffic signals on Route 9 leads to crash rates substantially higher than adjacent segments of freeway. To remove the traffic signal on Route 9 at the Washington Street interchange (Exit 23C), a new off-ramp from Route 9 Northbound is proposed to provide access to River Road, approximately 3,500 feet south of Washington Street. Access to Washington Street is proposed to be removed from Route 9. The interchange will encompass the existing Providence and Worcester rail line and will provide access to Route 9 Southbound. An acceleration lane to Route 9 Southbound will provide access from Washington Street prior to Route 17 (Exit 23A). The existing access from Route 9 Southbound to Washington Street will be removed and motorists will be directed towards the previous exit for access to Route 66.
The traffic signal on Route 9 at the Route 17 interchange onto Hartford Avenue (Exit 24) will be removed by elevating the southbound direction of Route 9. The grade separation will allow for free flow acceleration from Hartford Avenue to Route 9 Northbound, crossing under Route 9 Southbound. This acceleration lane will be constructed in the existing median of Route 9 and will serve as an additional through lane for Route 9 Northbound until Exit 25 for Route 99 in Cromwell. The existing access to Hartford Avenue from Route 9 Northbound will be relocated south. Access to and from Hartford Avenue from Route 9 Southbound will be maintained with full length deceleration and acceleration lanes.
A 200-foot right turn lane is proposed on Rapallo Avenue at Main Street. The additional lane requires approximately five feet of widening within the street right of way. This requires the removal of seven parking spaces, with sidewalks maintained on both sides of the road.
Project Map: Click here to view a map of the project area. Project Plans: Click here to view project conceptual plans.
Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on: Thursday, May 16, 2024.
There will be a public scoping meeting for this proposed action:
DATE: Tuesday April 30, 2024
TIME: 5:00 p.m. Open House, 7:00 p.m. formal presentation
PLACE: Wesleyan University - Beckham Hall - 45 Wyllys Avenue, Middletown, CT 06459
NOTES: The meeting location is ADA accessible. Language assistance, including American Sign Language, may be requested by contacting CTDOT's Language Assistance Call Line at (860) 594-2109. Requests should be made at least 5 business days prior to the meeting. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance. Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS).
Closed captioning and non-English translation options will be available for the presentation posted on CTDOT's YouTube Virtual Public Information Meeting playlist: https://portal.ct.gov/ctdotvpimarchive.
Persons with limited internet access may also request that project information be mailed to them by contacting Stephen Hall, Project Manager, at Stephen.Hall@ct.gov or 860-594-2591.
Additional information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/Projects/0082-0318-Route9-Middletown-Home.
A previous alternative for the project was scoped in the Enviornmental Monitor on March 6, 2018, and a public scoping meeting was held on March 22, 2018. The design proposed at that time was met unfavorably by the public as there would be substantial impacts to the adjacent neighborhood, therefore, that alternative was removed from consideration and CTDOT issued a post scoping notice on April 5, 2022, to reflect this and close out the CEPA scoping process under the previous project scope. Since this time, CTDOT performed a detailed traffic analysis and has met with the city several times to develop the alternative under the current public scoping notice. Furthermore, CTDOT held public workshops on February 21, 2024, and February 22, 2024, to engage the public prior to the formal CEPA scoping process. Feedback from the public workshops was positive overall.
Comments/ questions about the public meeting, or comments/ questions about the project should be sent to (email preferred):
Name: Mr. Stephen Hall, Project Manager
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Bureau of Engineering and Construction
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: DOT.Rte9Middletown@ct.gov
Phone: 860-594-2591
Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:
Name: Ms. Alice M. Sexton
Agency: Connecticut Department of Transportation, Office of Legal Services
Address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
E-Mail: Alice.Sexton@ct.gov
What Happens Next: The sponsoring agency will make a determination whether to proceed with preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) or that the project does not require the preparation of an EIE under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.