Printer Friendly Version - ARPA Funding Request for Traffic Light Assessment in Branford, including Leetes Island Road

A recent, lengthy delay in repairing malfunctioning Town-owned traffic lights on a heavily traveled section of Leetes Island Road prompted the request for funding of assessment and recommendation for signal equipment upgrade/improvements at two Leetes Island Road traffic locations as well as Town-owned town traffic lights at the intersection of Maple Street and Indian Neck Avenue. Pam Johnson/The Sound

A recent, lengthy delay in repairing malfunctioning Town-owned traffic lights on a heavily traveled section of Leetes Island Road has prompted the need to fund an assessment and recommendation for signal equipment upgrade/improvements to three Town-owned traffic light installations.

On March 21, Branford’s Board of Finance (BOF) approved a request from the Town to designate $31,500 of Branford’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to proceed with the assessment and recommendation work. In addition to two traffic light areas on Leetes Island Road, the funds will also support a review and recommendation for traffic lights in another area of town, at the Maple Street and Indian Neck Avenue intersection near the Branford Rail Station. Next, the BOF recommendation will head to the Representative Town Meeting for review and approval.

The BOF made its unanimous vote of approval following a review and discussion with Branford Finance Director Jim Finch and Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove during the March 21 meeting.

Cosgrove explained the lengthy amount of time involved in restoring the malfunctioning, flashing lights on Leetes Island Road was largely due to trouble scheduling a required shut-down with Eversource. The recent problems at Leetes Island Road also led to an inquiry to Cosgrove’s office from the Public Works department regarding the need to assess, and possibly upgrade, Town-owned traffic lights.

The study will evaluate and make recommendations for the Town-owned traffic lights on Leetes Island Road at the East Industrial Road and Business Park Drive intersections, the traffic lights on Leetes Island Road at the Stop & Stop plaza driveway, and the lights on Maple Street at Indian Neck Avenue (across from Branford Rail Station). Two more Town-owned traffic lights on Main Street will be also be assessed as part of the Main Street revitalization project, which has separate funding.

All of these traffic light systems were probably installed between 15 to 30 years ago, according to information in Town signal plan files.

“A lot of the systems are at the point where equipment has become obsolete or more difficult to find,” Cosgrove said.

Additionally, whenever paving work takes place in the areas of the lights, displaced traffic sensors in the road need to be replaced. The evaluation may recommend an upgrade involving installing optical sensors.

The ARPA-funded study is the phase one step in the process, Cosgrove told the BOF.

The figure of $31,500 for traffic signal equipment evaluation and recommendation (phase 1) was provided to the BOF in a proposal made by consulting firm Beta Group Inc. to Town Engineer John Hoefferle.