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01/29/2024 01:13 PMA notoriously dangerous intersection that has been the scene of several serious accidents, including a fatal incident last summer, is on track to finally get a traffic signal. For years, residents have been clamoring for a solution to the difficult merge required to enter Route 77/Durham Road from Flat Meadow Road, which is a major traffic flow area, especially during the school year.
According to Chief of Police Christopher Massey, the intersection has a reputation for being quite difficult to navigate, with limited sightlines and extremely fast traffic speeds on Route 77 that make merging into traffic from Flat Meadow hazardous, whether drivers turn right or left onto the state road. Massey said resident feedback spurred the decision to seek a determination from the state on possible design solutions.
“Back in August 2021, the Guilford Police Department received a request from a member of the public to review the potential for adding a traffic signal to the intersection. The request was forwarded to DOT [Department of Transportation] at that time,” Massey said. “In 2023, DOT responded to the request, saying that a signal at the intersection would be warranted based on their analysis. I can say that DOT reviewed the intersection, traffic counts, roadway conditions, and crash experience to make the determination that a traffic control signal was warranted and recommended for installation at that location.”
The DOT’s 2023 response came just a few weeks after a 21-year-old motorcyclist was killed in an accident at the intersection following a crash involving a sedan.
While the DOT recommended installing a traffic signal, the state would not be able to begin work until 2027 due to an “extreme backlog” according to State Senator Christine Cohen (D, District 12), chair of the Transportation Committee in Hartford.
“The DOT came back and said they wouldn’t be able to begin work until 2027, initially. Stating there was an extreme backlog, but unfortunately, we had a fatality right there at that intersection after this light had been approved. Obviously, everyone involved grew concerned in light of that fact,” said Cohen.
The project is now slated to start with design approvals this March, and installation is expected to take place in October 2025.
“We are happy with the progress, and the DOT has been incredibly responsive given the situation at that intersection and the need to ensure the safety of folks on the roadways of Guilford,” said Cohen. “Public officials often identify public safety issues in a town, and thanks to the good work of our police department and the data that they have available to them they recognized this was an intersection of concern.”
The concept of installing signals, traffic signals, or other safety systems appears to be a simple matter, but Cohen said the process of determining, designing, and rectifying roadway safety can often take years to implement.
“Once a safety issue has been recognized by officials, they can go ahead and send a request to the Department of Transportation. Traffic studies are then undertaken…and then a project schedule that takes place if the findings are that a signal is warranted, then there is a design phase that needs approval; then final design plans are done. That whole process between design approval to final design plan approval through the engineering officials, takes about a year. Given the 169 towns in the state and the various projects that the department is doing around the state, it can be a long process,” Cohen said.
According to Cohen, the traffic signal will significantly reduce the risk of crashes in the area, enhancing the overall safety of the intersection.
“At the heart of all of this, by strategically placing these traffic signals and monitoring speed, and ensuring we have the proper signage in place along this roadway, we can significantly reduce the risk of crashes and enhance overall safety. These measures are not only preventing accidents but also contribute to a more secure environment for pedestrians and cyclists and drivers alike. That is the goal here," Cohen said. "And we continue to work together with the police department and police commission, as well as the first selectman’s office, to make sure we’re putting in the proper measures to keep people safe out there.”