The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s project to reconfigure the traffic pattern at Bishops Corner isn’t expected to break ground until the summer of 2025, but plans are already in place to make the area safer for pedestrians.
“There’s pedestrian bump outs, so basically these little islands out in the middle of the street where people who are trying to cross from one side to the next are pretty vulnerable,” said Josh Morgan, spokesman for DOT.
“I’m always very, very careful to make sure, especially when I’m using those right turn lanes, to make sure that there isn’t a pedestrian trying to cross,” said Mark Slitt of Bloomfield.
At each of the four corners, the plan would eliminate these isolated right turn lanes, and get rid of the pedestrian islands to make crossing the street easier.
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“We have gone out of the business of trying to move cars as fast as possible through areas," Morgan said. "We’re trying to make sure that people, regardless of their mode of transportation, can get to their destination safely."
On Thursday, July 13 at 7 p.m., DOT will be holding a virtual public meeting to discuss the details of the plan and get feedback from the public.
“I have mixed feelings about it,” Slitt said. “On one hand, I don’t want to see traffic being slowed down, but I also don’t want people to get killed crossing the intersection.”
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DOT says the project is expected to cost approximately $5.585 million, with 80% paid through federal funds, the rest through state dollars.
“We used to think about streets as efficient ways of moving cars back and forth, but now we see that there’s a growing movement towards making it safer for pedestrians, opening up streets for other purposes, walking, strolling, biking,” Slitt said.
More information on the project, including how to register for the virtual meeting, is available here.
