The Route 8 Design Build project will bring the section of roadway from Exit 13 in Shelton to Exit 22 in Seymour up to modern highway standards and make it safer for motorists. The work is expected to start in the summer of 2023 and finish by the end of 2024.
The NVCOG, in collaboration with the City of Bristol, is conducting a study of potential downtown routing options to provide a safe, continuous connection between Rockwell Park in the west to Downtown, continuing east to Route 229. Additional funding will be sought to route a connection from Route 229 to a meeting point with the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Plainville.
This study aims to build off of the recently completed Route 229 Corridor Study which recommends adding a shared-use side path between Interstate 84 in the south to Route 6 in the North. These two routes combined will provide a north-south and east-west connection through Bristol, ensuring a safe and accessible way for non-motorized users to travel.
The draft report is now available for public comment. Residents can send comments to ewareham@nvcogct.gov or contactus@nvcogct.gov. We will be accepting comments until Friday, June 30.
Staff Contact:
Elliot Wareham
Transportation Planner
ewareham@nvcogct.gov
We strive to create a public involvement process that is collaborative, accessible and inclusive. During the course of the study, our team will use a variety of tools to engage the public in a discussion and dialogue regarding the future needs of the City and how to best accommodate all users.
We will conduct interviews with stakeholders, prepare an online survey, develop an interactive map, conduct public information meetings, and provide frequent updates via this website and NVCOG’s social media platforms. Additionally, all documents related to the project will be posted to this website for review and comments. All are encouraged to participate in this project. If you have a question or would like to provide a comment, suggestion or have an idea, please email rdonovan@nvcogct.gov.
A series of public meetings will be conducted with the dual purpose of sharing findings and hearing comments directly from the community and those who use the corridor regularly. These meetings will be open to all. If you cannot attend, all meetings will be recorded and put onto the website. Virtual options will be provided for all of the meetings as well to ensure the broadest participation.
The first public meeting was held on Wednesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at the Bristol Public Library Meeting Room 2. There was a second public meeting on Wednesday, May 24 at 6 p.m. at the Bristol Public Library Meeting Room 2.
In addition to public meetings, NVCOG collected community feedback through an anonymous survey. Residents were able to provide their thoughts, ideas, and opinions on the study.
In addition to this website, we will keep you up-to-date regarding the project’s status and progress on NVCOG’s social media platforms, which include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Follow us there!
This map shows the study area. The first segment of trail will connect Rockwell Park to Bracket Park at School Street, following the path of the Pequabuck River. The trail will start north of the river, near Jacobs Street, and cross just west of West Street. The trail would potentially cross the river twice more near the Clara O’Connell School building due to grade and right-of-way constraints. The second segment will connect Bracket Park to Route 229 along Memorial Boulevard.
With comments or questions, please contact:
Elliot Wareham
Transportation Planner
ewareham@nvcogct.gov
Above is the provisional timeline for the study. The NVCOG and City of Bristol expect to generate a series of recommendations in summer 2023.
The draft report is now available for public comment. Residents can send comments to ewareham@nvcogct.gov or contactus@nvcogct.gov. We will be accepting comments until Friday, June 30.
Pequabuck River Trail Study Draft Report
Appendix A – Survey Responses
Appendix B – Bikeway Design Technical Standards Memo
PAC Meeting Presentation (2/9/23)
PAC Meeting Report (2/9/23)
Public Information Meeting Press Release (2/24/23)
Public Information Meeting Presentation (3/8/23)
Public Information Meeting Recording (3/8/23)
Walk Audit Flyer (4/20/23)
A public meeting was held on Wednesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at the Bristol Public Library Meeting Room 2. The primary purpose of this public input session was to gather feedback and answer any questions that the public had about the study and the proposed trail alignment under consideration. Additionally, the project team discussed the study process and provided the community with ways to receive future updates on the study status.
A second public meeting was held on Wednesday, May 24 at 6. p.m at Bristol Public Library Meeting Room 2. The purpose of this meeting was to share the study’s preliminary findings. All public meetings have been recorded and posted to the NVCOG YouTube Page.
The NVCOG, in collaboration with the CTDOT, the Town of Woodbury, and the Federal Highway Administration, is preparing to engage a multi-disciplinary team to complete a corridor study along US Route 6 through Woodbury. The intent of the study is to address safety and traffic flow concerns and provide for improved pedestrian, bicycle, and transit-user accessibility.
US Route 6 is one of the main routes through Woodbury, providing connection to Watertown and Route 8 to the north and to Interstate 84 in Southbury to the south. The route also serves as the town’s Main Street, providing access to two historic districts and to much of the commercial activity within town. Through most of the town Route 6 is a two lane road, characterized by wide shoulders, gaps in the sidewalk network, and a mix of high speed limits in the more rural areas of town and lower limits in the commercial areas. In addition to automobile traffic there is a high level of pedestrian traffic near the town center and cyclist traffic along the full route. In the Town’s most recent Plan of Conservation and Development improving access for non-motorized users along Route 6 was identified as a key priority.
The study team will collect and analyze traffic and safety data, working with the public to identify locations with safety or congestion concerns, and then proposing countermeasures to improve those locations. A special focus will be on the needs of those walking, especially in the town’s historic areas, as well as on cyclists for the length of the corridor. This will all result in a final report including analysis of recommendations, conceptual engineering drawings, and an implementation plan for how to move the suggested improvements forward.
Staff Contact:
Rich Donovan
Transportation Planning Director
rdonovan@nvcogct.gov
We strive to create a public involvement process that is collaborative, accessible and inclusive. During the course of the study, our team will use a variety of tools to engage the public in a discussion and dialogue regarding the future of Route 6 and how improvements can better serve all users.
We will conduct interviews with stakeholders, prepare an online survey, develop an interactive map, conduct public information meetings, and provide frequent updates via this website and NVCOG’s social media platforms. Additionally, all documents related to the project will be posted to this website for review and comments. All are encouraged to participate in this project. If you have a question or would like to provide a comment, suggestion or have an idea, please email rdonovan@nvcogct.gov.
We will conduct several in depth interviews with key project stakeholders such as business owners and daily users along the corridor. This effort aims to understand the needs of the community along the corridor and ensure that the town’s historic commercial districts are well served.
A series of public meetings will be conducted with the dual purpose of sharing findings and hearing comments directly from the community and those who use the corridor regularly. These meetings will be open to all. If you cannot attend, all meetings will be recorded and put onto the website. Virtual options will be provided for all of the meetings as well to ensure the broadest participation.
In addition to this website, we will keep you up-to-date regarding the project’s status and progress on NVCOG’s social media platforms, which include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Follow us there!
In the coming weeks, a detailed corridor map will be added here to identify the study limits. A survey will also be released in the early spring to assist in gathering input from the community.
With comments or questions, please contact:
Rich Donovan
Director of Transportation Planning
rdonovan@nvcogct.gov
Project Timeline
The NVCOG has released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to hire a Consulting Engineer (CE) for this project. Following an RFQ period closure in mid-November, a selection process will take place to hire the consultant for this project, at which time a detailed project schedule will be uploaded here.
Draft documents and reports will be uploaded here for public review.
A first meeting between NVCOG and the Town’s Advisory Committee occurred on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. This meeting focused on ensuring the Scope of Work aligned with the Town’s goals, outlining a timeline and next steps, and preparing materials for release as a Request for Qualifications.
The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG), in collaboration with Valley Transit District, CTtransit, and Greater Bridgeport Transit, has engaged a multidisciplinary team to design bus shelters within the lower valley municipalities of Seymour, Ansonia, Derby, and Shelton. These communities are served by several transit agencies, and several of these sites lack accommodations and are only marked by signs at the bus stop locations. This forces users to stand and be exposed to the elements while waiting for their bus to arrive. Several of these sites have ridership numbers of hundreds of people each day.
The intent of the project is to assess existing bus stops within these municipalities and to design bus shelters and amenities where possible. The bus shelters will be able to accommodate a variety of users for Valley Transit District, CTtransit, and Greater Bridgeport Transit. The project is being conducted by a team of planning experts and key stakeholders, led by SLR, a multidisciplinary firm. Electrical and illumination expertise is being provided by VN Engineers.
As part of this project, we will collect data from critical bus stops and analyze their site conditions. Each site will be assessed for its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, topography, visibility and sight lines, potential Right-of-Way issues, Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) compliance, utility conflicts, access to electricity, and any other notable features. We will work with our team, the municipalities, stakeholders, and the public to determine the most suitable sites for bus shelter installation.
Kevin Ellis
Transportation Engineer
kellis@nvcogct.gov
Public Involvement Process
We strive to involve the public in a way that is collaborative, accessible, and inclusive. During the project, our team will use a variety of tools to gather public feedback and ensure that this project meets the needs of these communities.
To fulfill these goals, the project team will meet with stakeholders, conduct a public information meeting, and provide frequent updates via this website and NVCOG’s social media platforms. Additionally, all documents related to the project will be posted to this website. If you have a question or would like to provide a comment, suggestion, or idea, please email kellis@nvcogct.gov.
Technical Advisory Committee Meetings
A project Technical Advisory Meeting will be convened, which will be comprised of members of Valley Transit District, the municipalities of Seymour, Ansonia, Derby, and Shelton, as well as CTtransit and Greater Bridgeport Transit. This group will review potential bus shelter sites, bus shelter designs, and related accommodations.
Public Informational Meeting
A public informational meeting will be conducted once the site feasibility assessment has been completed and a bus shelter design has been finalized. The public information meeting will have the dual purpose of sharing our findings and hearing directly from the community about their concerns and ideas for the new bus shelters. These meetings are open to all. To ensure widespread access, this meeting will be live streamed and made available for viewing on the NVCOG YouTube page.
Social Media
In addition to this website, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for updates on the project’s status and progress.
Interactive Site Assessment Map
Check out the NVCOG Bus Shelter Inventory interactive map which includes the site assessments for eligible bus stops within the municipalities of Seymour, Ansonia, Derby, and Shelton.
Project Timeline
NVCOG along with SLR are finalizing a project schedule which will be posted here when it is completed.
Documents
Documents related to this project will be uploaded here when available.
NVision50: The Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the NVCOG and the Central Naugatuck Valley MPO lays out a comprehensive vision for transportation in our region leading up to 2050.
The interchange of Interstate 84 and Connecticut Route 8, located just west of Downtown Waterbury, has long been called “the Mixmaster” because of the complex web of highways, ramps, local roads, and rail, that make it up or pass below. Originally hailed as a marvel of modern highway design, the Mixmaster no longer meets highway design standards, is often crowded, and has left a significant mark on the City. The Mixmaster is currently undergoing work to extend its life for an estimated 25 years, after which a more permanent solution will be required.
While the Mixmaster undergoes efforts to extend its life and improve safety and traffic flow, the CTDOT, with the assistance of HNTB Corporation, have begun planning the long-term future for the interchange. The NVCOG, the City of Waterbury, and other interested parties regularly attend Project Advisory Committee meetings. The project team has also held several public information session, the most recent of which was on September 15th, 2022. Recordings and presentation material from all of these meetings, as well as other information about the project, can be found on the CTDOT’s project website, linked here:
https://www.newmixwaterbury.com
This website includes a spot where anyone can leave a comment or ask a question. The CTDOT’s NewMix project team is dedicated to ensuring this process actively engages the public, so all comments are encouraged. Comments or questions can be submitted here.
Mark Nielsen
Assistant Direct, NVCOG
mnielsen@nvcogct.gov
On June 30, 2021, the NewMix Project Team presented the plan for the NewMix study to local elected officials. The content of this presentation is available below.
View The New Mix PowerPoint presentation or watch a recording of this presentation on the NVCOG YouTube Channel.
A $23.1 million federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant the City of Waterbury received includes funding for long-overdue improvements that will revitalize West Main Street West Main Street between the Waterbury Green and Riverside Drive and make it safer for all users.
The city received the grant in August from the U.S. Department of Transportation and is in the early design stages of the planned improvements. That grant was awarded in part because of a study completed in July 2022 that NVCOG led in collaboration with the city of Waterbury and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) that identified challenges to using West Main Street and opportunities to make it better.
West Main Street is a short but much-used corridor that connects downtown Waterbury with parts of the city that are on the west side of the Naugatuck River. But as important as it is, West Main Street also has issues that make using it a challenge for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. The road surface is deteriorating, and the width varies significantly between two lanes in some areas to as much as six in others. For pedestrians, crossing West Main Street can be difficult.
A complete streets approach has guided planning for upcoming work, which will include realigning intersections, narrowing parts of the road, rehabilitating existing sidewalks and building new ones, putting in bicycle lanes, and traffic calming strategies. Eyewitness News Channel 3 covered the story and interviewed NVCOG Director of Planning Josh Lecar.
The biggest component of the project is reducing the number of travel lanes on West Main Street and making the road a uniform width. Plans call for eliminating an eastbound vehicle travel lane between Thomaston Avenue and the railroad overpass. More lane reductions are proposed in the eastbound direction east of Willow Street and Meadow Street. The number and width of vehicle travel lanes will also be reduced in the westbound direction between Willow Street and Meadow Street and Church Street.
Reducing how much street space there is for motor vehicles would free up area along both sides of West Main Street for walkers, cyclists, and other users. New mid-block pedestrian crosswalks are planned, along with other enhancements that will make the road safer for walkers like high visibility treatments, pedestrian activated signal systems, and curb extensions are planned. For cyclists, dedicated bike lanes and a protected shared-used path are part of the plan. There also will be bus lanes, more on-street parking and traffic calming measures.
Community participation was a vital component to the study. Public meetings were held throughout the study and a public advisory committee was formed to help the planners. The PAC met for the third and final time on Sept. 28, 2021, and heard a presentation on the project from Fuss & O’Neill, the firm that helped NVCOG and the city with the study.
The NVCOG, in collaboration with the CTDOT, Federal Highway Administration, the City of Bristol, and the Town of Southington, has engaged a multidisciplinary team to conduct a corridor study along CT Route 229 between Interstate 84 and US Route 6. The intent of the study is to plan for future development while addressing safety and traffic flow concerns, and provide for improved pedestrian, bicycle, and transit-user accessibility.
Route 229 is characterized by a variety of typologies and traverses diverse land uses. North of Route 72, King Street is a two-lane road through a residential neighborhood, providing access to the Route 6 commercial district and Bristol Eastern High School. At Broad Street, Route 229 widens to multiple lanes in both directions. The intersections of Middle Street and Route 72 and Middle Street and Pine Street/Mountain Road are of particular hazard due to high vehicle volumes, multiple lanes, and a large number of vehicles entering and exiting the roadway. This section of roadway is a hotspot for crashes. South of Pine Street, Route 229 becomes a four-lane undivided highway and remains four lanes until the Southington town line. This is a regionally significant commercial and industrial district and a significant employment center. The region’s largest employer, ESPN, is located on Middle Street, just north of the Southington town line. Additionally, the seasonal theme park, Lake Compounce, is accessed from Middle Street. The corridor’s only transit route, CTfastrak, services the Lake Avenue park-and-ride. At the Southington town border, the road narrows to one southbound lane and is the site of recurring congestion. The road remains as such until roughly 1500 feet north of I-84 Interchange 31. Land use throughout the West Street portion of the corridor is a mix of commercial and residential with several substantial business parks located in the close vicinity on intersecting streets.
As part of the study, we will collect and analyze traffic and safety data, work with the public to identify weaknesses and opportunities along the corridor, propose countermeasures to improve safety and traffic flow, produce a final report summarizing the analysis and recommendations, and provide conceptual engineering drawings for spot improvements along the length of the corridor needed to create a safer environment for all users, better traffic flow and support ongoing economic development.
The study was conducted by a team of planning experts and key stakeholders, led by BL Companies, a multi-discipline firm with extensive expertise in planning and traffic engineering. Additional expertise in real estate market trends and land use demand is being provided by The Williams Group.
Rich Donovan
Transportation Planner
rdonovan@nvcogct.gov,
We strive to create a public involvement process that is collaborative, accessible and inclusive. During the course of the study, our team used a variety of tools to engage the public in a discussion and dialogue regarding the future of Route 229 and how future improvements can better integrate all users.
We conducted interviews with stakeholders, prepared an online survey, developed an interactive map, held 3 public information meetings, and maintained this web page as well as provided updates via the NVCOG’s social media platforms.
Several in depth interviews with key project stakeholders were held with the goal of better understanding the issues and opportunities along Route 229 and feedback was incorporated into the final recommendations.
Three public meetings were held with the dual purpose of sharing our findings and hearing directly from the community about their concerns and ideas for Route 229. These meetings were open to all, and recordings of all three are available linked below and on the NVCOG YouTube Page. The first meeting was held using a virtual workshop format. Meeting #2 was able to be held as a hybrid, offering an online and in-person option at the Bristol Public Library. Meeting #3 was also held with both a virtual option and an in-person option at the Bristol Public Library.
In addition to this website, we will keep you up-to-date regarding the project’s status and progress on NVCOG’s social media platforms, which include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Follow us there!
Below is a map showing the three segments of this corridor as it travels between US Route 6 in Bristol and Interstate 84 in Southington.
Thank you to all who participated in our corridor survey. Results of the survey are included in the final report as an appendix.
Project Timeline
The study is now complete and a final report is available for review. As the project moves forward into design and construction additional opportunities for review and comments will be available. Thank you to all who contributed comments and time to make this study valuable for our communities.
The final public engagement meeting occurred on Thursday, May 26th, with both a virtual option and an in person meeting at the Bristol Public Library. The study team started by presenting recommendations for improvements along the corridor, followed by an opportunity for public comment on those changes. The meeting recording is available on the NVCOG YouTube page and is linked below. Comments will be accepted in writing to contactus@nvcogct.gov through June 27, 2022, and will be incorporated in the final report.
A second public engagement session was held on Wednesday, September 29. It began with a guided tour of the corridor, including stops in both Bristol and Southington. More details of the locations visited are in the flyer below. This was followed by a public meeting at the Bristol Library. For those who were unable to attend the meeting there is a recording available on the NVCOG YouTube page that is linked below. Slides from this meeting have also been posted.
See a recording of the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77q3zOrCYm8
Slides for this meeting can be found here
The Route 229 project team held a virtual public meeting on April 14 between 5 – 7 pm. The goals and objectives of the Route 229 Corridor study were discussed and stakeholders had the opportunity to ask questions and offer public input on this project.
See a Recording of the meeting here: https://youtu.be/2f0RTZFTNQo
Slides for this meeting are available here
The Town of Oxford has been awarded a $3.4 million Congressionally Directed Spending grant that will pay for building a mile-long multi-use path on Route 67 that is integral to making the center of Oxford more walkable and bicycle-friendly.
Oxford was awarded the grant in December, and the project is in the design phase. The path will run from Dutton Road to Quarry Walk, a mixed-use development with stores, medical and commercial office space and 150 residential units. Plans include three pedestrian bridges to carry the path over water courses, a sidewalk between Oxford Municipal Center/ Town Hall and Academy Road along with lighting, street furniture and crosswalks.
Building a multi-use path for cyclists and walkers along Route 67 is a key component of the Oxford Route 67 Alternative Transportation Study that the town did with NVCOG and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT). The Oxford Board of Selection endorsed the final report in February 2022.
The study investigated the potential for bicycle, pedestrian, and transit improvements along Route 67 in Oxford. The study was funded by NVCOG with federal transportation planning funds and was conducted with support by TranSystems, a planning and engineering consultant with offices in Meriden, CT. It was overseen by the Oxford Main Street Committee that was formed in 2017.
A short section of that path opened in 2021 and runs from the Little River Nature Preserve (across from Oxford Town Hall) to Dutton Road.
Existing Conditions along Route 67. Note the lack of pedestrian and bicycle accommodations.
Unlike many of its neighbors, Oxford does not have a typical walkable New England downtown or Main Street. Instead, municipal services and commercial areas are dispersed along with residences along State Route 67. Although Route 67 is fundamentally Oxford’s “Main Street,” it had no sidewalks or any safe bicycle or pedestrian access, and traffic speeds are excessive with no visual cues to alert motorists that they are driving through an area where they may encounter walkers or bicyclists. In addition, no public transit is operated along Route 67 that could provide residents an alternative transportation option. Transit options by train on Metro North and by bus on CT Transit are available only one mile from the Oxford town line, but there is currently no way for Oxford residents to safely access these services without a personal motor vehicle.
In Oxford’s 2018 Plan of Conservation and Development, the town prioritized creating more of a downtown feel along Route 67, and the Oxford Main Street Committee has been investigating streetscape improvements, sidewalks and trails within the corridor to improve non-motorized access. The study built on the committee’s prior work to develop a cohesive plan for the entire corridor to better enable the Town to plan, prioritize, and fund future improvements.
The interactive Project Storymap presents the study and potential bicycle and pedestrian improvements to Route 67
The interactive Project Webmap allows users to explore the project corridor in greater detail by turning on and off various data layers that are informing the study:
The Waterbury Area Transit Study (WATS) was completed in December 2017. The WATS looked at ways to improve bus service. The study looked at new routes, new destinations, hours of service, improved waiting areas, and more.
View study documents below:
Elliot Wareham
Transportation Planner
ewareham@nvcogct.gov
