$23 Million Construction Project Planned For Black Rock Turnpike

FAIRFIELD, CT — Black Rock Turnpike could see more than $23 million in construction in the coming years, according to a study report recently released by the town of Fairfield. Lane reductions, roundabouts, and changes to pedestrian crossings, intersections and parking lots are all being considered for the stretch of road between Tahmore Drive to the north and Tunxis Hill Road to the south.

"We've had a lot of accidents there, more than two or three times the rate you would typically see," Community and Economic Development Director Mark Barnhart said of the area, noting the motivation for the Black Rock Turnpike study was improving safety.

About 20,000 vehicles travel along the turnpike daily, the report stated, and the road widens from a single lane to a multi-lane street along the segment targeted for improvements. Between 2014 and 2016, that 1.73-mile section of the turnpike saw 428 crashes. Of those crashes, 22 percent involved an injury and three were fatal.

In an online survey of 1,069 people, about 70 percent of whom were Fairfield residents, 56 percent of respondents wanted to see safety improvements and general maintenance on the turnpike and 39 percent indicated that a full redesign of the road was needed, according to the report.

The study took about two years to complete, Barnhart said, and was granted a budget of $375,000 through the state's Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program. The plan proposed by the study report aims to reduce vehicle speed and unsafe driver behavior while offering pedestrians better protection and visibility.

One possible method to improve safety includes reducing the turnpike to single lanes on the north and south ends of the study area. The report also proposes roundabouts at the road's intersection with Tunxis Hill Road and at the driveway for Old Navy and Trader Joe's. Additionally, those areas are both targeted for pedestrian improvements, as are the crosswalks at Tahmore Drive and between Shop Rite and CVS.

In total, the recommended work is projected to cost $23.1 million. The report also suggests a short-term plan that includes many of the recommended improvements at a much lower cost of $10 million. The less expensive option eliminates any recommendations between Tahmore and Brookside drives, replaces the roundabout near Trader Joe's with a raised median and enhanced pedestrian crossing, and removes dedicated right-turn pockets where Stillson Road approaches the turnpike.

"What we'd like to do is see if there's some things that we can do in the immediate future that would improve safety," Barnhart said, adding that Fairfield officials are actively seeking funding for the short-term work with the hope of completing the long-term project in the next 10 years.

Town officials intend to pay for both the short-term and long-term improvements using state or federal funding, which will likely require some sort of local financial matching contribution.

"Much of it depends on other projects within the region, available funding," Barnhart said.

The short-term plan could be finished in one construction season while the larger scale plan may extend over multiple seasons, according to Barnhart. The turnpike would not close completely during the project, but there would be lane closures. Work would be done in stages to maintain business access and minimize disruption.

To read the full report, visit https://bit.ly/2WCDseU.