CTDOT Construction Advisories
01/30/2023
Reconfiguration of the Route 17 On-Ramp to Route 9 Northbound is Starting Construction in Middletown
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is announcing the start of construction in March 2023 for the reconfiguration of the Route 17 northbound on-ramp to Route 9 northbound in Middletown, which will help reduce rear-end crashes at the Route 9 northbound and Route 17 northbound interchange. The existing on-ramp from Route 17 onto Route 9 is controlled by a stop sign and has significantly higher crash rates than similar adjacent on-ramps.
The Route 17 On-ramp Safety Improvement Project (CTDOT Project# 82-316) will remove the stop sign and provide a full-length acceleration lane for Route 17 northbound traffic to merge onto Route 9 northbound. The proposed acceleration lane will require realignment of Route 9, and the closure of the Harbor Drive on-ramp onto Route 9 northbound.
After the closure of the Harbor Drive interchange, the Main Street Extension and Route 17 interchange will serve as the primary access to Route 9 for the southern section of downtown Middletown. This closure would create additional traffic congestion at the Route 17 interchange which necessitates this future improvement project.
The proposed improvements include reconfiguring the interchange and signalizing the northern intersection. Dedicated turn lanes will be added on Main Street Extension and the Route 17 off-ramps to reduce congestion. The Route 17 southbound on-ramp will be realigned with the Route 17 southbound off-ramp to create a more typical signalized intersection configuration. A noise wall will be installed between the Route 17 northbound on-ramp from Main Street Extension to Flower Street as a result of a noise analysis performed for the project.
Construction is set to begin on or about March 13, 2023, and is expected to last four years, with construction operations continuing through the winter months. This project is part of a larger program aimed at improving safety along the corridor.
CTDOT Provides Updates on Completed and Upcoming Projects in Middletown
Completed Projects
The Main Street Sidewalk Bump Out Project (CTDOT Project# 82-319) constructed 18 sidewalk bump outs on Main Street in 2019 between Union Street and Washington Street. These bump outs occupy unused space on the corners of the intersections and reduce pedestrian crossing distances to improve safety. By bumping out the sidewalk closer to the travel ways, the pedestrians are more visible to approaching motorists and exposed to traffic for a shorter time as they cross the roadway. Reducing the pedestrian crossing distance also allows more green time to be allocated to Main Street, encouraging vehicles to travel on Main Street instead of cutting through local residential streets.
The Saint John’s Square Project (CTDOT Project# 82-320) provided safety and operational improvements to Saint John’s Square in 2020. This project provided sidewalk bump outs north of Washington Street, similar to CTDOT Project# 82-319. Additionally, two turn lanes were added, and geometric improvements were provided at Saint John’s Square to reduce congestion and improve safety. The traffic signal configuration in this area has been designed to encourage drivers to travel down Main Street instead of cutting through local residential streets. By improving the geometrics and operations of Saint John’s Square, Main Street becomes the more desirable route for traffic coming off the Arrigoni Bridge and heading to destinations west of downtown.
Upcoming Projects
The Miller Street Access Project (CTDOT Project# 82-322) is the closure of the Miller Street access to Route 9. Currently, the only legal access into and out of the Miller Street neighborhood is directly from Route 9 southbound because Bridge Street and Portland Street are separated by an at-grade railroad crossing that is only open to pedestrians and emergency vehicles. The design of this project has been completed and will be advertised in October 2023, with construction beginning in April 2024. The project is expected to be completed by late fall 2024. This project required a legislation modification to legally open the at-grade railroad crossing for daily use by all users. By opening this railroad crossing, direct access to downtown will be provided on the local roadway network for the residents of the Miller Street neighborhood.
The Route 9 Signal Replacement Project (CTDOT Project# 82-318) is the removal of traffic signals on Route 9. The signal removal program started design in 2016, with two alternatives presented to the public in 2016 and 2018. After the 2018 meeting, the completed projects above were broken out into construction. A robust traffic study has been conducted, beginning with an origin and destination study to determine existing travel patterns to aid in refining the anticipated travel paths. This analysis evaluated three alternatives, resulting in a proposed alternative that resembles what was shown to the public in 2016. This “Alternative 1” was presented to Middletown Officials and State Legislators over the summer of 2022, garnering support and leading to another round of public involvement.
The current anticipated schedule for this project has public outreach in the summer of 2023, and, with support, the design will be completed in the fall of 2025. Construction would begin in the spring of 2026.
The Route 9 Pedestrian Crossing Project (CTDOT Project# PP082-0012) has been initiated to construct a wide pedestrian bridge across Route 9 in the vicinity of Court Street and Dingwall Drive. In addition to providing access to Harbor Park across Route 9, the pedestrian bridge will serve as a destination, wide enough for landscaping and sitting areas. Connection to both sides of the pedestrian bridge will be coordinated with Middletown Officials.
While the previously mentioned projects are necessary to remove the traffic signals on Route 9, they also have independent utility. Independent utility means each of these projects was determined to have an individual benefit that does not require removing the traffic signals to constitute a successful project.
Anyone interested in requesting information on any of the projects mentioned above may contact Stephen Hall, Project Manager, at (860) 594-2591 or Stephen.Hall@ct.gov.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
860-594-2560
DOT.CustomerCare@ct.gov
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