The state Department of Transportation’s announcement of possible work on the Route 136/Route 57 intersection — where Main Street, Weston Road and Easton Road meet in a confusing number of ways — is welcome news.
But it’s not the first plan.
Nor is it the second. Or even the third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh.
Former 2nd Selectman Avi Kaner sends along a slew of previous solutions to the confounding confluence. All were prepared by ConnDOT, and discussed with town officials between 2004 and 2006.
Here they are. Click on or hover over each image to enalrge.
One envisioned 3 small roundabouts:
Another showed one large rotary:
Five others involved some combination of road widening, adding turning lanes, and eliminating or modifying the center island:
As the saying goes: Whatever goes around, comes around.
Or, in the case of the roads near Exit 42, whatever goes around may crash into whatever else goes around, unless everyone going around pays close attention.
Everything would be ok, if drivers would just slow down, show common courtesy, not compete to be the first though the intersection, and realize that an extra few minutes will NOT change their lives. Whoever came up with the bumper sticker “you don’t have to be rude to live in Westport” must have contended with the 137/57 intersection.
Do we know which option costs the least? Do we know which is safest? Which option would impact the neighboring properties the least? How long will the project take approximately?
I think the second makes the most sense. I have driven in Great Britain, where they have many such roundabouts, and they work beautifully.
Another thing that might help to slow down the traffic would be speed bumps, but I don’t think they’re allowed on state roads.
Speed bumps do slow traffic, including fire trucks and other first responders. They are not usuallya good answer to a traffic problem.
Since Exit 42 is my “home” exit, I have interest in the solution. Whenever I approach the intersection, I am amazed that there haven’t been more accidents and, G-d forbid, deaths. I am also pleasantly surprised lately at how courteous most of the drivers are who graciously wave their arms to let you go first. Whatever solution is decided on, I look forward to an easier way of navigating those roads.
As a decades-long veteran of that intersection, I find all this fascinating. I’ve tried to envision a roundabout in the past, but it always seemed to me it would have to be so big that it would require the acquisition of slices of property all around it. Maybe not. We shall see… in a while.
It would help if drivers just used their signals.
Its about time we had some circles in Westport. WE have straight roads, wiggly roads, obscure roads, parkway roads and highways but no circles. Variety is good, keeps you thinking. I think?