NAUGATUCK — The state is halfway through a project designed to improve the intersection where North Main Street, Union Street and City Hill Street meet.
The state Department of Transportation is doing the work.
James Zaharevich, a project engineer with DOT, said foundation and underground conduit work is complete.
A new traffic island between Union Street and City Hill Street was built closer to North Main Street than the old one. The new location of the island changed traffic flow for drivers turning left from Union Street onto City Hill Street. Previously, drivers turned before the island, now they turn onto City Hill Street after the island at the traffic light.
The remaining work includes replacing the existing span poles and cable-suspended traffic signals with steel poles with mast-arm-supported traffic signals. When it’s finished, Zaharevich said, there will be an additional traffic signal facing traffic on City Hill Street.
Work to install the new poles and signals is expected to start in the coming weeks, followed by the electrical work, according to Zaharevich. The DOT also needs to paint new road markings.
The project, which is expected to be finished by April 15, is estimated to cost about $221,326, Zaharevich said. The project will be paid for with federal funds, he said.
The borough hosted a public information meeting, which drew a little more than two dozen people, on the project Dec. 16 at Town Hall.
Some people expressed concerns about school buses and firetrucks being able to make the left turn around the traffic island from Union Street to City Hill Street. DOT officials conducted successful field tests with a school bus and firetruck to make a left around the island, according to Zaharevich.
If a tractor-trailer cuts the corner of the island, the rear of the vehicle would be able to roll over the 2-inch-high island, according to Zaharevich.
Burgess Rocky Vitale and Zoning Enforcement Officer Ed Carter also expressed concerns that the new traffic flow around the island would cause traffic on Union Street and City Hill Street to back up, since drivers turning left from Union Street now have to wait for the traffic signal.
Union Street will have a longer green light for just traffic on the road, which officials say will help traffic turn left through the intersection.
Vitale added the new location of the traffic island cuts down on the site distance and time drivers on Union Street have to see cars that are traveling fast coming off Route 8, which has on- and off-ramps at the intersection.
Natasha Fatu, a transportation supervising engineer with the DOT, said the Naugatuck project is one of many across the state to upgrade adding traffic signals.
The DOT is making improvements at 13 intersections in nine towns, Zaharevich said. The entire project is estimated to cost roughly $2.5 million, he said.
Fatu said changes can be made after the project is complete.
“As the maintenance life of a signal decreases, we upgrade our signals periodically. This is just one in a number of signals that we’re replacing,” she said. “We can adjust. We work with the town after the signal gets installed. They can alert us to any concerns. Then we’ll review again.”
1. New triangle curb is too close to N Main Street.
2. Allows for upturning of cars up city hill to be in the path of N. Main Street car turning left.
3. New single lane coming down City Hill still has old double lines painted on street.
4. Public wasn’t asked about this.
5. An abundant of accidents will now accrue.
6. State Engineer who designed this should be fired. Total incompetent moron.
Saw a car making the new city hill turn and a car was traveling fast south then up city hill from north main.
Almost a collision. This will be a disaster .