Following lengthy discussion at an October 6 session, Police Commission members, in their role as the local traffic authority, made several traffic recommendations concerning a proposed mixed-use development in Hawleyville, which would include a 180-unit rental apartment complex in six multistory buildings, a diner, and a church.

The 42-acre development site lies west of Hawleyville Road (State Route 25) and south of the Exit 9 interchange of Interstate 84. ()See related story.

In the development proposal, 36 of the 180 rental apartments would be designated for low- and moderate-income families and individuals.

Covered Bridge Newtown LLC proposes the apartment complex and the diner. Grace Family Church Inc proposes the church.

Police Commission members are recommending to the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) that: the three-way intersection of Covered Bridge Road and Hawleyville Road have a traffic signal installed to better control traffic flow to and from the Covered Bridge Road site; that the section of Hawleyville Road lying between Exit 9 and Mt Pleasant Road be expanded from its current two lanes to four lanes; and that the mixed-use complex have an emergency accessway extending onto the site.

The proposed mixed-use complex would have more than 700 parking spaces, including 432 spaces for the apartments, 196 spaces for the church, and 80 spaces for the diner.

As currently proposed, the main access to the apartment buildings would be via Covered Bridge Road. The current development proposal specifies an emergency accessway extending to the apartments from Hillcrest Drive. Hillcrest Drive is a dead-end street that extends from Covered Bridge Road, which also is a dead end. Covered Bridge Road extends from Hawleyville Road.

Before the Police Commission formulated its three traffic recommendations, Steven Cipolla of Fredrick P. Clark Associates of Fairfield, which represents the project’s developers, presented traffic planning charts and diagrams for the proposed complex to Police Commission members.

The Police Commission has jurisdiction over town roads such as Covered Bridge Road and Hillcrest Drive. The state has jurisdiction over Hawleyville Road.

Mr Cipolla said that the peak traffic-flow periods at the complex would be from 7:45 to 8:45 am and from 5 to 6 pm on Mondays through Fridays; from 11:45 am to 12:45 pm on Saturdays; and from 9:30 to 10:30 am on Sundays.

Clark Associates prepared separate traffic studies on the apartments/diner proposal and on the church proposal for the respective developers.

Mr Cipolla noted that the P&Z has told Clark Associates to seek state approval for installing a traffic signal at the Hawleyville Road-Covered Bridge Road intersection. He added it is unlikely that the state would approve installing a traffic signal there because there would be insufficient traffic flow, even after the apartments, diner, and church are built.

A Large Scale Proposal

Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico said that he was “overwhelmed” while reading the traffic reports in learning how much traffic the proposed development would generate.

To handle such traffic flow, Hawleyville Road in the area should be expanded from two lanes to four lanes, he said.

The more children that live at the apartment complex, the more traffic there will be in the area, he predicted.

Police Commission member Brian Budd noted that Covered Bridge Road is the only roadway entering the site proposed for the apartment complex and the church.

“Is there an alternate access?” he asked. The diner would have direct frontage on Hawleyville Road.

Mr Budd noted that in the eight years that he has served on the Police Commission, he has never reviewed the traffic aspects of a development proposal of such large scale.

To facilitate northbound traffic flow on Hawleyville Road at its intersection with Covered Bridge Road, the developers propose that the state permit them to create a bypass lane, which would allow northbound vehicles to pass on the right the vehicles which are waiting to make a left turn onto westbound Covered Bridge Road. Such a bypass lane would not require a road widening.

Mr Mangiafico said that the town needs the housing that would be provided by the apartment complex, especially for younger people. The town would benefit by having such housing available locally, he said.

But, he added, “I’m still concerned about the impact of traffic on Hawleyville Road… I’m concerned about this whole thing.”

Traffic conditions are now difficult at the nearby Exit 9 interchange, he said. The proposed project would make traffic conditions worse, he said.

Police Commission member Virgil Procaccini, Jr, said he expects that motorists leaving the proposed church would have significant waiting times to exit the site.

Commission member Joel Faxon said it appears that at certain times, “a very large number of vehicles” will be using roadways at and near the site.

“Doesn’t a traffic signal seem mandatory?” Mr Mangiafico asked.

Mr Faxon predicted that there would be much traffic traveling on Covered Bridge Road on Sunday mornings.

Mr Mangiafico said that having a bypass lane on northbound Hawleyville Road “is not good enough” in terms of the expected traffic situation there.

“The apartments are a great idea, but we have to accommodate the traffic,” he said.

The proposed development would result in “a significant, concentrated increase in traffic that needs more than a bypass lane,” Mr Faxon said. A traffic signal is needed, he said.

Commission member Andrew Sachs said he could not endorse the development proposal without further investigation into its specifics.

The P&Z is scheduled to resume its dual hearings on the apartments/diner application and the church application on October 15.