Public Safety
State to Repave Rt 1 in Darien This Summer: You Won’t Believe What They’re Considering
|
The state Department of Transportation has informed town officials it plans to pave the Post Road through Darien this summer, Darien Police Capt. Donald Anderson told the Police Commission on Wednesday — and he passed on an unusual request. Officials from the department commonly known as “ConnDOT” told town officials that they’re aware of a traffic study about Route 1 done by the now-defunct Southwestern Regional Planning Agency (which has been replaced with the Western Council of Governments,commonly known as “WestCOG”). That traffic study suggested replacing one of the two lanes for traffic going in each direction with just one lane apiece, and using the space created to paint in turning lanes on the road and such amenities as bicycle lanes. The state wants to know if the town thinks that’s a good idea, in whole or, if in part, where the single lanes might work. “They reached out to me, asking if the Legal Traffic Authority [which is the Police Commission in Darien] would be looking to implement any or all of the SWRPA recommendations as far as the roadway markings on U.S. 1,” Anderson told the commission.