The traffic engineer for the developers of a planned major mixed-use complex in Hawleyville has told Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members that the state Department of Transportation (DOT) has turned down's the P&Z's request that a traffic signal be installed at the intersection of Hawleyville Road (State Route 25) and Covered Bridge Road.had informed the Police Commission of DOT's decision against installing a traffic signal. The Police Commission is the local traffic authority and had reviewed the traffic aspects of the planned complex before the P&Z approved the project in December.

Traffic engineer Michael Galante of Fredrick P. Clark Associates, Inc, of Fairfield informed the P&Z of the DOT's decision at a March 3 meeting. The P&Z sought traffic signal installation in view of an expected major increase in traffic in the area.

Mr Galante on March 1

In a March 1 letter to Police Chief James Viadero, Mr Galante wrote, "It was determined by ConnDOT and [the Office of State Traffic Administration] that signalization of the intersection of State Route 25 and Covered Bridge Road is not warranted." By the DOT's calculation, there would not be sufficient traffic flow after the mixed-use complex is built to justify traffic signal installation.

The mixed-use complex will have 712 parking spaces. Of that number, 436 parking spaces would be designated for a 180-unit rental apartment complex comprised of six 30-unit buildings; 196 parking spaces would be set aside for the church, which would have a 396-person seating capacity; and 80 parking spaces would be created for the diner.

Motorists on Hawleyville Road would have access to the apartment complex and to the church via Covered Bridge Road. The diner would have direct access to Hawleyville Road.

Town officials have said they expect that the eventual development of vacant land off the east side of Hawleyville Road, directly across Hawleyville Road from Covered Bridge Road, could result in traffic signal installation there, when considering that the intersection would then be a four-way junction instead of a three-way junction.

In December, the mixed-use complex planned for a 42-acre site off Hawleyville Road, near the Exit 9 interchange of Interstate 84, gained final approval from the P&Z, marking the land use agency's endorsement of one the largest local development projects in memory. The increased traffic flow to be generated by the project was one of the most controversial aspects of the development application.

Five voting P&Z members unanimously approved a special permit for Covered Bridge Newtown, LLC's, plans for a rental apartment complex on Covered Bridge Road, plus a diner at 13 Hawleyville Road.

In November, the P&Z had approved a special permit for Grace Family Church, Inc's, proposal to construct a church off Covered Bridge Road, as part of the mixed-use project.

Although they will not be marked as such, the broad road shoulders on the two-lane Hawleyville Road would function as "bypass lanes" for traffic traveling near Hawleyville Road's intersections with Covered Bridge Road and with the diner's access driveway.

Also, town officials had requested that the DOT approve two exit lanes onto Hawleyville Road for both Covered Bridge Road and for the diner's driveway, but the DOT did not agree.

Instead, there will be a single 18-foot-wide exit lane at Covered Bridge Road and at the diner's driveway.

Before the P&Z approved the mixed-use project, Mr Galante had told P&Z members that the amount of traffic that would travel through the Hawleyville Road/Covered Bridge Road intersection after the complex is fully built would not be sufficient for the DOT to approve traffic signal installation. P&Z members nevertheless required the developers' traffic engineer to formally seek approval for a traffic signal.

Of Mr Galante's efforts to gain DOT approval for a traffic signal, George Benson, town director of planning, said, "Thanks for trying, anyway."