New London Awarded Funding From DOT For Traffic Signals

NEW LONDON, CT — (From City Hall): On Friday, Mayor Michael E. Passero announced that the State Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Engineering and Division of Highway Design, has selected New London’s Local Road Accident Reduction (LRAR) Grant project for funding.

The project, estimated to cost $920,700, will provide significant upgrades to three critical city intersections – Tilley/Green Street, Tilley/Bank Street and Bank/Sparyard Street.

Funding for the project includes construction, contingencies, and incidental costs associated with the intersection upgrades.

“This funding opportunity will permit the much needed and overdue modernization of three critical intersections,” Mayor Passero said in a release. “I am grateful for the hard work of city staff, the support of the S.E.CT Council of Governments and the confidence of State DOT, to provide this funding opportunity for a critical city infrastructure need.”

The current condition of the signals is outdated and out of alignment with new Department of Transportation standards for intersection signalization. The corridor also has an elevated rate of accident exposure due to high traffic volume and the proximity to Fire Headquarters which results in heavy use by emergency vehicles.

In addition to signal and pedestrian crossing upgrades, the project includes the placement of innovative technology down to Howard Street to manage and control traffic signal priority for emergency responders.

This project will complement the well-received pedestrian and vehicular improvements along the downtown Bank Street corridor that were completed this summer. The signal improvements at the three identified intersections, as well as the completed improvements to Bank Street, were proposed as part of the recommendations from the Downtown Transportation Study completed by Milone & MacBroom in 2017.

This project was made possible by the support from the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) as an important accident reduction opportunity for the region.

Last July, SCCOG voted to endorse and move New London’s proposal forward to the Department of Transportation, promoting a return on investment in reduced crashes, reduced injuries and reduced property losses. The LRAR program will help to revitalize the region’s transportation hub with planned, physical infrastructure upgrades.

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