Manchester Clears Hurdle For Oakland/Woodbridge Intersection Project

Manchester CT

05 April, 2022

8:32 AM

Description

MANCHESTER —The State Properties Review Board Monday gave the go-ahead for Connecticut Department of Transportation to purchase a portion of a freight rail line in Manchester, which in turn, paved the way for the tricky intersection at Oakland and Woodbridge Streets to be fixed, a state lawmaker said. State Rep. Geoff Luxenberg applauds Monday's approval, saying it was all least 10 years in the making. "The approval of this project represents the culmination of an extraordinary amount of hard work, negotiating savvy, technical expertise, local, state and federal government collaboration and teamwork and community input that has occurred for as long as I have been involved in local and state government," Luxenberg said. "It is hard to overstate the environmental, economic development, public safety and community benefits. The impact for the residents I represent, and the entire north end of Manchester, will be transformative." Under the approval, the DOT will acquire the land near the tracks for $1,316,340 from Connecticut Southern Railroad, Inc., and that will allow it to address traffic concerns that currently hamper vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian safety, Luxenberg said. The rail line is along Route 83, located between the two closely spaced four-way intersections of Oakland Street at Old North Main Street and Woodbridge Street. In addition, the rail line crosses Main Street, creating a second rail crossing a short distance to the west that often leads to congestion and safety issues, officials said. By removing the rail crossing at the intersection of Oakland and Woodbridge Streets, the DOT would make the northern approach from Oakland Street, which does not have a stop sign currently, a more typical four-way stop-controlled intersection, eliminating driver confusion and crashes, according the plans for the work. The DOT reviewed the number of crashes at the intersection during the last three years, and records show 26 crashes, with five resulting in injuries. Acquiring a portion of the rail corridor is considered a "no-build" alternative to the original proposal that would have cost $7.5 million for two roundabouts to mitigate the safety and traffic issues, Luxenberg said. The acquisition will also allow the DOT to "close a critical gap in the existing multi-use trail network under future project activities," he added. "The only other way to address this dangerous intersection would cost five to six times more than this proposal costs," Luxenberg said. "Now, we can address this public safety issue in the most economically affordable way for the taxpayers." The Federal Highway Administration will also provide 80 percent of the funding for the purchase. "We have an opportunity to leverage 80 percent percent of federal matching dollars to finance a project to solve the No. 1 traffic safety issue in Manchester," Luxenberg said. Luxenberg said, in addition to public safety, environmental, quality of life and economic development benefits being now unlocked, there is also an issue of social justice and equity embedded in the proposal. "The reality is that the north end of Manchester, where this parcel of land sits, is the section of town that is populated by racially and ethnically diverse, working-class residents whose neighborhoods have long suffered from neglect and underinvestment as compared to some of our more affluent and less racially diverse sections of town," Luxenberg said. "There is momentum in transforming this section of Manchester for community benefit, Rep. Luxenberg added. For example, the Whiton Branch Library was saved from being closed and made ADA accessible through State Bond Commission funding and was recently designated a polling location to make it easier for residents in this area of town to vote if they do not have transportation. In addition, Center Springs Park, which is not far from this area, is undergoing a $3 million upgrade with state bond funds."