Connecticut - Towns - Legislators - Accident Reports, etc             NHTSA gives cost of Connecticut motor vehicle crashes: ~$3.5 billion annually; 8.31 fatalities/100k population             Channelized turn lanes have become very common - about 28 circular intersections in the state, including 2 at I-95 Interchanges             County Maps:   Counties & town names,   CensusFinder,   map2,   1895 Ct Maps w/ Towns     PA-05-210 was signed into law by the Governor on 7/6/05. This Bill revises section 14-212, 14-239, & 14-241 in the traffic code, so that now all the Northeast States specify in their traffic code that "Traffic in a Roundabout has the Right of Way". Perhaps the wording in 14-245 also needs to mention Roundabouts?

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Rural Transportation.org - Connecticut - The Rural Context For Transportation Consultations
    DMV - Several Manuals in PDF format - The Rell-edition (10/2005) of the Driver Training Manual has a paragraph on p56 devoted to 1 & 2 lane Roundabouts, along with a "Roundabout Ahead" sign.

    ConnDOT - ConnDOT knows Roundabouts save lives, but management is stalling - Walter Coughlin's legasy lives on!! (Oct'06)
        ConnDOT's Roundabout Review Team works under a Roundabout Position Paper written in 2004. If the word "Roundabout" in this paper were replaced with "Traffic Signal", would anyone dare to install another signal?

       Hearings Scheduled
       State Traffic Commission 2008 Calendar

On 27 October'06, ConnDOT Commissioner Ralph J. Carpenter writes:
       "With regard to the Department's general position on roundabouts, the Department maintains that roundabouts can be a safe and effective means of traffic control when used at appropriate locations. In fact, construction will begin later this year on the first new modern roundabout on a State road in West Haven, and the Department is currently designing upgrades to existing roundabouts in Killingworth, Goshen, and Seymour. Also, a project to design a roundabout at the "five corners" intersection in Ellington, Routes 74 and 286 at Windsorville Road and Skinner Road, has recently been initiated."
       "Although roundabouts represent an option for traffic control at intersections, it needs to be recognized that some locations may not be appropriate due to traffic volumes, speeds, or geometric conditions. Therefore, the Department has established a Roundabout Review Committee to review the appropriateness of any proposed installations on State maintained roads. This ensures that all proposed roundabouts are reviewed uniformly and that, once installed, they will operate successfully."

Many Roundabout advocates feel Mr. Carpenter's first sentence amounts to a VERY cautious (if not negative) attitude toward Roundabouts. If asked about stop lights would he write: "With regard to the Department's general position on Traffic Lights, the Department maintains that they can be a safe and effective means of traffic control when used at appropriate locations."???

- Long Range Transportation Plan - ~1995 there were over 3000 signalized intersections on state roads, & ~25 circular intersections, including under 10 modern Roundabouts. ConnDOT needs towns to demand Roundabouts. The fact that FHWA & IIHS recommends them is not enough.

        Citizens, citizens' groups, or developers interested in getting roundabouts on any road in their town should work first thru the town "Transportation Authority" (which could be just the 1st Selectman, or a committee of 5-10 people).
        Then the town would contact Charles Harlow at 860-594-2788 regarding the information the Team would need to review the request. Both the suitability of the intersection, & then later the plans will need to be approved.

        Ct - 4 maintenance & construction districts ( map ~400kb pdf) - ConnDOT Projects open for bid
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            Office of Traffic Engineering - Responsible for signs & lines - geared to deal w/ the Legal Traffic Authorities of towns
            State Traffic Commission (STC) -
            State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) - published biennally by CtDOT - "The Transportation Improvement Programs / Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (TIP/STIP) is a document prepared by states and regional planning commissions, citing projects to be funded under federal transportation programs for a three-year period. Without TIP/STIP inclusion, a project is ineligible for federal funding."
            Local Bridge Program (LBP) - State & Federal funds for bridge replacement
            FHWA Federal Programs - Funding available to Municipalities
            TSB - Ct Transportation Strategy Board
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    I-95 Feasibility Study - opportunities!! First Advisory Committee Meeting November'02 - Branford to RI Line

Jump to Western Connecticut Counties

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~Hartford & Tolland, Windham & New London Counties (~CDOT1 & CDOT2) - ~13 circles
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Hartford County
        Avon - Rt-44 splits the town with its 4-lanes - there is nothing to humanize & slow the frantic traffic (tidal) flow to & from Hartford - no Splitter Islands to allow ped's to cross 1/2-way at a time, no bicycle lanes. Because there are no Roundabouts, Intersections have unneeded Turn-lanes that further widen the swath of blacktop.
        Bloomfield {no official page as of 3/04} - History - there had been a Traffic Oval at Rt-189 & Rt-178, converted to a Green (?) - now destroyed (Greens, Ovals, &/or Roundabouts help to preserve/create a sense of community)
        Bristol - WWI memorial (map) by river (Memorial Blvd, could be upgraded to RDB) - " Route 72 Corridor Study" by FHI
        Canton - care -
        Hartford - Traffic Calming project - (planning 2002 - 2003, design 2004?, construction 2005?)
        Hartford - Opened 6/7/03 - North Beacon & Fern streets (gone 28 Nov'03) - "temporary" 12ft inner circle (rubber curbing bolted to pavement), 18ft lane around center (48ft inscribed circle) no truck apron - a local resident was quoted by the Hartford Courant "Once people have them and get used to them, they'll be glad they're there."
                Pulaski Circle - not signed or striped properly - History? - built ~1946; splitter islands added ~1960 - maintained by City of Hartford
                Columbus Circle - built before 1945 & destroyed ~1990's (?)
                Farmington Ave - proposed series ~2004 - would make the area much more pleasant to drive & walk!

        Rocky Hill -
        Simsbury -
        Wethersfield - Roundabout for Church & Main awaiting funding (12'04) - many more possible sites
            Silas Dean Hwy project ~2005 - perfect opportunity to install Roundabout Corridor
        Windsor - Hayden Station Road reconstruction (2002-2003, ConnDOT!) including 2 single lane Roundabouts - can be seen off Exit 39 of I-91 <== use this exit to get to them!
            Prospect Hill Rd & Lange built ~1995, several other in sub-division nearby

South Windsor - Roundabout (Evergreen Walk (search on Google) - 1000ft W of Buckland Rd, 1/2 way between Pleasant Valley Rd & Deming St) completion Fall 2004, designed by Fuss & O'Neill (Manchester, Ct Office )                 First driver ticketed for "Excessive Speed" in the Roundabout by SW Police 11/04. Tolland County         Ellington - Good sites: Five Corners & Windemere - both on Rt 286                 "Five Corners" (Project 0047-0116) - a Roundabout is on the drawing board for this location! (2007)         Vernon - Rockville HS - by main entrance             Vernon Circle destroyed & signalized ~1990 or earlier.  There was plenty of room for circle & by-pass lanes!! ----------         Stafford Springs (Haymarket Square - Holt Fountain - 1894) - at the intersection of Rt-32 & Rt-190, this may be the oldest circular intersection in New England.         ConnDOT starting the Retro-fit in May'05 to improve traffic flow in Haymarket Square.  The changes will ensure "entering traffic yields to vehicles already in the circle" (This now the law throughout the Northeast). Two important signs have not been posted as of 28 June'05.         Stafford - in front of new Stafford Library "decorative" Circle (2001) ~150ft inscribed diameter!! Excessively large. Designed by Schoenhardt, Inc - FHWA standards were disregarded         West Stafford - Intersection of Rt-190 & Rt-319 (Orcuttville Rd) - Western Gateway to Stafford (map) - Great place for a Roundabout!! ConnDOT (Traffic Operations) working on study for possible Traffic Light! (12'04)         Rt-319 x High School intersection - a Roundabout here would smoothly integrate traffic from the 4 legs reducing the delays & frustration that has been endured for years.

Stafford Rotary - 1894 (in front of RR Station)

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        Coventry (village) at Rt-31 & Rt-275 - Roundabout under preliminary design by DOT & BSC Group (Fall'03) mainly to correct a deadly corner. The slope of the hill north of this intersection (according to Google Earth) is ~9.2%
                    Daly & South Streets (Construction started Spg'03) a modern 120ft Roundabout west of Coventry Lake is approaching completion. Divider Islands, & FWHA/MUTCD recommended signs & lines are not in the plans I saw (Apr'03). The design work was done as part of an extensive face lift on over a mile of South Str. (Spg'03), engineered by Jacobson & Assoc. - problems with utility poles & slow work have aggrevated public opinion, but all the pedrestrians I have spoken to near it are enthusiastic supporters!
Coventry Village Main Street Partnership
Coventry Village Improvement Society
        Mansfield (Storrs) - Small 3-way Roundabout at Birch Rd & Hunting Lodge Rd - built in 2007 by DPW Road Crew. Design by town engineering staff.
                Intersection of Rt-195 & Rt-32 - New pavement, lights, & detection loops installed Summer'07;
                        Red-light Runner on Rt32 North kills driver of small black car crossing toward Tolland with the light ~8am, Wed, 5 Dec'07. This could not have happened in ConnDOT had installed a Roundabout there.
                Traffic flow & safety would also be improved at the intersections of Rt-195 & Rt-44, & at Rt-195 & Rt-275
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        Canterbury - Rts14&169 - Small "classic" Traffic Circle destroyed ~1960's?
        Danielson (Killingly) - Rts6&12 destroyed "Classic" Traffic Circle - people are not happy with it - very unfriendly to pedestrians!
        Eastford - small circle destroyed at 6-way intersection ~1960, (860)974-1291
        Ellington "5 Corners" at intersection of Rt286, Rt74, Windsorville Rd, & Skinner Rd. - plenty of room for a Roundabout
        Tolland - Rt-31 & Cedar Swamp Road - Stop Sign in middle for straight-away!! (Clearly done for speed control on Rt-31) I've been told ConnDOT does NOT put Stop signs on state roads!! Plenty of space for Roundabout here - I almost re-ended a stopped car here - didn't see the unexpected sign - I was watching the road!!
        Thompson, Windham County -
            Quinnebaug (Village) - Intersection of Rt-131 & Rt-197, under NECCOG (John Filchak, 860-774-1253)

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Windham County
        Killingly (Danielson) - Classic Circle detroyed ~199x (built after 1955)
        Windham (Willimantic) - Town Engineer told me 4/2/04, ~10am, "There'll be no Roundabouts in this town". I wonder if he speaks for everyone in Windham?
        ECSU "decorative" Clock Tower Circle (1999). DuBose Associates - FHWA standards were disregarded
        Intersection of Rt-195, & Ash St is now signalized - many accidents
        Cardinal Square - intersection of Rt-14, & Rt-66 - good location for a Roundabout - in the 1800's there was a Fountain in the center of the Square, later replaced by an orange barrel :-)
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New London County
        New London - Two Roundabouts opened in 2000 as part of the NLDC Fort Trumbull Project - 1 designed by Fuss & O'Neill (Manchester, Ct Office ) & the other by Wilbur Smith Associates        

"Since early 1998, the NLDC has been involved in the planning and engineering work for the first phase of Fort Trumbull Municipal Development Project.   The first phase, which will be undertaken in early 2000, features a $12 Million of infrastructure work including two major roundabouts, one of which will form the entryway to the Pfizer Global Development Facility.   Three additional phases of project activity will be undertaken over the next three years.   Total State investment in the Fort Trumbull Municipal Development Project is estimated at $70 Million while Sate investment in the Fort Trumbull State Park is an additional $20 Million"

        Stonington - Rt-2 & Rt-184, just north of Exit 92 of I-95, a 300ft "Classic" Traffic Circle
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~Fairfield, New Haven, Litchfield, & Middlesex Counties (~CDOT3 & CDOT4) - ~15 circles in 2005
        Goshen - ~100ft Roundabout at Rts 4 & 63 - divider islands & center circle all painted!! on a hilltop worse than Tolland, but works well!! Photos
    Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials (LHCEO) - Rick Lynn, 860-491-9884, lhceo1(at)snet.net
        Litchfield - Roundabout proposed at US202 & 118 (East Str) by the Route 202 Corridor Management Study Advisory Committee (of LHCEO) in 2000 - opposition to Roundabouts on the Green is based on preserving the historic appearance of the area

        Stratford - Rt-113, a ~110 ft circle on the SE edge of Sikorski Public Airport. Not properly marked
            Another circle at Exit-32 of I-95, is an oval ~250 x 150 ft, ~5 legs - presently this one has some stopped & signalized legs
New Haven County
        North Madison, Rt80 & Rt79, ~300ft Circle (not available yet),
        Cromwell - possibilities at Rt3-9 Interchange 18 & 19
        New Haven - Roundabout at West River Bridge - I-95 - (design might be completed 2004)
            Quinnepiac Ave & Ferry Str -
        West Haven - Oyster River Roundabout - build 2007 - 3 leg; Animation (~2 min run-time; was available 12/07)
        Seymour - Rt-188 & Rt-334, a ~150 ft circle!! Not properly marked

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Middlesex County
        Haddam (Middlesex County) - Rt-154 & Thayer Rd/Thayer Rd Ext - possible sites?
        Killingworth, Rt80 & Rt81, ~100ft Circle, map, Selectman, Town Engineering by Jacobson & Assoc.
                Upgrade of Killingworth Roundabout - Project No. 69-76: "The Department of Transportation announced {22 Jan'08} that the project involving the upgrade of an Existing Roundabout at Routes 80 and 81, in the Town of Killingworth, is expected to begin January 2008. One lane of traffic, in alternating directions, will be maintained at all times during periods of active construction."
                "Hammonasset Construction, LLC of Clinton, Connecticut, is performing the work on this $1.15 million project under contract with the Department of Transportation. The majority of the work is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2008."

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Fairfield County
        Bridgeport - Feb'05 found 3 circular intersections - best is at Exit 24 of I-95 as part of the Interchange
Others near Exit 25 (State Street & Fairfield Ave), & Exit 22 (Kings Hwy & Post Rd)
        Greenwich - 2 old ones on Lake Ave, in front of Greenwich Hospital - very beautiful in Spring, but they don't have proper signs & lines (can be seen by getting off I-95, exit 3 & following the signs to the Hospital) .
            Old Greenwich - Sound Beach Rd & Laddins Rock Rd (in front of the Library - decades old - doesn't have proper signs & lines (can be seen by getting off I-95, exit 5 & heading South on Sound Beach Ave)
            Old Greenwich - on elementary school grounds - Sound Beach Ave "Traffic Circle" (Z312-59600-22154, $36,350 - 2002) - between Edgewater Dr & West End. This is technically a "Mini-Roundabout", but it is very elegant job!!!! (can be seen by continuing South on Sound Beach Ave, less than a mile)
        Norwalk - Advocates for Calm Traffic (ACT) of Norwalk, CT is a grassroots organization. Our mission is to improve the level of safety and quality of life for the people of Norwalk through supporting actions that will calm traffic.
        Merritt Parkway Conservancy - Elegant proposal for Intersection of Rt-7, Merritt Pwky (MP), & Main Avenue (altho it includes no Roundabouts ;-)
MPC does support the use of Roundabouts at Interchanges
        Westport -

    HVCEO - 10 Towns - Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, & Sherman
        Newtown - Rt25 & Rt6 - Flag Pole - Can be seen by getting off I-84 at Exit 10 & driving ~west on Church Hill Rd ~1 mile - Summer view - Winter view
            Selectman, Town Engineer (Ron Bolmer), (203)270-4300, {no email}
        Ridgefield - Cass Gilbert Fountain - natural focus of a Roundabout - destroyed June 2003 by drunk driver
        Torrington -
Opportunities: (abound, but these will be especially noteworthy)
        Derby - Rt-115 (Derby Ave) & Bank St. - "Hit & Run" Sept'02 - Mayor Marc Garofalo, 35 Fifth Street, (203) 736-1450
        New Milford - Mayor Robert Gambino - intersection of Rt-67 & Rt-202, limited space, signalized design will wipe out several businesses
        Stamford - Roundabout friendly environment - mayor's statement
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        UConn Transportation Systems Engineering - No Roundabout information appears to be available here (Arizona LTAP makes extensive RDB information available on their site) - 7/04
            Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI) - Workshop & Event Schedule - There appear to be NO programs in 2003 or 2004 w/ Roundabout specifically mentioned in the name. See my 1st page for Roundabout Design Workshops.
http://www.t2center.uconn.edu/
            Connecticut LTAP - Ct Local Technical Assistance Program
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        UConn Road Planning -
        ECSU Road Planning -
            Institute for Sustainable Energy - should be interested in the fuel saving potential of Roundabouts
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        Architectural firms
            Not designed circle by FHWA standards (Ornamental Traffic Circles?)
                Schoenhardt, Inc - Stafford Library Circle (2001) - FHWA standards were disregarded
                DuBose Associates - ECSU Clock Tower Circle (1999) - FHWA standards were disregarded

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            Has designed circles by FHWA standards  
NE Roundabouts, Howard M. McCulloch, Principal Engineer (518) 783-2124
& many more in New England - sometimes good designs are frustrated by local authorities, or contractors
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        FHWA Connecticut Division Office - Warmly & enthusiastically works to fulfill the FHWA mandate to foster Roundabout construction in Connecticut
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        Connecticut Conference of Municipalities - "Connecticut's association of cities and towns. Its 137 member municipalities contain over 89% of the state's population. CCM represents municipalities at the General Assembly, before the State executive branch and regulatory agencies, and in the courts"
        Ct-NJ-NYS Regional Planning Association - includes the 3 western counties of Connecticut - somewhat dormaint
        Connecticut Regional Planning Organizations (RPO's) - contact information
        Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association CCAPA -
        Connecticut Fund for the Environment -
        American Council of Engineering Companies of Connecticut ACEC/CT -

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