Route 146 'Management Plan' Would Protect Treasured Road: Scanlon

GUILFORD & BRANFORD, CT — On his Facebook post, hundreds of folks clicked the 'like' button on the announcement by state Rep. Sean Scanlon that the state Department of Transportation is moving forward on a creating a Management Plan for Route 146, the 13-mile scenic roadway that hugs the coastline of Guilford and Branford.

Scanlon, who described the road as "one of our greatest treasures," noted that a long-term plan needs to be in place to "preserve and protect this treasure." Scanon said he was "proud" to have secured a DOT commitment to create a Management Plan.

Scanlon said he worked with Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey and Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove as well as the advocacy group 'Friends of 146' for more than a year to "encourage the DOT to study the roadway and come up with a sustainability plan."

"I'm from Guilford and when I tell people I feel so lucky to have grown up here and they ask me why I usually tell them to take a drive on 146 and they get it," Scanlon said. "It represents all the natural beauty that is the Connecticut shoreline and I want to make sure it's there for my kids and their kids to appreciate and enjoy and this plan will certainly help to ensure that."

The "initial impetus" for pushing for a management strategy was borne out of a meeting he had with Hoey, and Cosgrove and DOT commissioner Joseph Giulietti in 2019 after the transportation department's proposal to build a new bridge known locally as the "crabbing bridge."

"There were many, many concerns about the bridge proposal and fortunately we were able to convince the DOT to hit the pause button but out of the meeting about the bridge began a conversation about the need to actually come up with a long-term game plan for 146," Scanlon said. "The bridge was a hot topic for a brief period of time but things like pedestrian safety, cyclist safety and most of all flooding are things I hear about on a constant basis and are issues that must be studied and addressed."

The Rt 146 Management Plan goal is to:

• Identify and document possible context-sensitive approaches for this portion of Route 146 that protect and enhance the character of the community (such as; open spaces, farmland and historic buildings and sites, land use and patterns of development) which also properly address safety, traffic, resilience and maintenance needs of the roadway corridor.
• Improve communication on the local, regional and State levels through a series of workshops and Public Involvement Meetings to solicit feedback on the needs and desires of the traveling public as well as the communities through which the corridor passes.
• Identify and document key environmental, cultural and historic resources along the corridor, vistas and viewsheds.
• Develop strategies for improving bike and pedestrian accessibility, as the corridor is a designated bike route.
• Develop strategies to address areas of frequent flooding and areas subject to sea level rise to provide a resilient roadway for future generations.
• Identify and address safety concerns through the corridor to improve public safety for all modes of travel.
• Restore the infrastructure to a state of good repair providing a safe and resilient corridor for the next 50 years.
• The Commissioner of Transportation shall form a working group to be chaired by the Commissioner or his designee. The working group shall consist of: the Town Engineers of Branford and Guilford; Representatives from CTDOT from the offices of Design, Maintenance, and Policy & Planning, A representative from CTDEEP, CTSHPO, SCRCOG, CT Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board ) a representative from the Historical Commissions of Branford and Guilford, and one community member each from Branford and Guilford. The members of this working group will attend a series of workshops and will collaboratively work toward completion of the Management Plan Framework over a period of 12 months.
• 6 months following completion of the framework, the Department shall publish a draft Management Plan for review by the working group, with a final plan issued 2 months later.
• The ultimate goal of the Management Plan will be to balance the need of providing a safe roadway system for all users with the numerous cultural, historical, and environmental resources in the area, respecting the desires of the community, residents and local businesses as well as regulatory requirements and design standards. Future projects in the corridor will include utilizing the Management Plan guidance as part of the development of Project Purpose & Need.