In an attempt to reduce motor vehicle crashes on one of the most dangerous highway on-ramps in the state, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is well under way on a $50.4 million project to remove the stop sign-controlled on-ramp from Connecticut Highway 17 to northbound Conn. 9 in Middletown.
The state agency hosted an information session Sept. 14 at the Middletown Police Department to explain the progress on the three-year project, which began in late March.
The effort to remove the stop sign has been going on for at least three decades, Kevin Conroy, an engineer with ATANE Consulting in New York, told those in attendance.
The on-ramp's current configuration resulted in 319 crashes and 27 injuries between 2019 and 2022, according to the latest crash data compiled by the University of Connecticut.
Middlesex Corp. of Portland, Conn. is the contractor of the project. Its expected completion date is mid-October 2026, the Press reported Sept. 18.
Until then, motorists will continue to experience temporary inconveniences such as lane closures, reductions and detours during the process.
Construction to Make it Easier for Drivers to Merge
The work includes building a 1,000-ft., full-length acceleration lane in place of the stop sign, and a widening of the area on both Conn. 9 and the Exit 23B southbound on-ramp at deKoven Drive. The Conn. 9 roadway will be expanded to between 24-30 ft., Conroy said.
Additionally, the Conn. 17 bridge over Union Street in Middletown will be rebuilt, and the Main Street Extension southbound on-ramp will be realigned.
"The real benefit of this project is to eliminate that stop sign by providing enough of an acceleration lane [to] allows people to merge safely without having to look behind them," Conroy explained, noting that the present setup forces motorists to "take your chances."
Drivers entering northbound Conn. 9 from the Conn. 17 on-ramp must awkwardly crane their necks to the left — nearly halfway around — to judge both the presence of oncoming vehicles and their speed.
Once construction is complete, Conroy said drivers will no longer be able to enter northbound Conn. 9 from Harbor Drive as that street will end just north of the park entrance.
Eventually, the new lane will be integrated into CTDOT's signal removal project on Conn. 9 in downtown Middletown, he explained.
"As somebody who's been studying this particular intersection for going on 30 years, the problem hasn't changed," Conroy noted. "It's always been one of the more difficult places in the state, especially to merge onto a highway."
As traffic patterns are temporarily redirected, advance construction warning signs and smart work cameras have been installed, he told those present at the Middletown briefing. The latter feature is part of CTDOT's new speed monitoring program.
CTDOT, Contractor Work to Keep Noise Down
One meeting attendee brought up a point about whether noise levels would disturb the peace of those who live close to the project. Conroy noted that there will be some construction done at night, but its sounds will be kept below 90 decibels, the maximum allowed by industry standards.
By comparison, sound produced by heavy traffic also is in the 90-decibel range. Loud noise above 120 decibels can cause immediate harm to the ears, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Conroy, CTDOT personnel regularly conduct noise measurements at the nearest occupied building, which was 65 decibels when last taken.
"We are well below the limit. We're sympathetic to noise, especially at night, and we do our best to do that, so we don't disturb folks," he said.
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