Monitoring Solutions to Woodbridge Traffic Problem

HARTFORD — State Rep. Themis Klarides met with the Department of Transportation’s commissioner recently to reiterate the importance of remedying weekday traffic delays on Route 69. Regular traffic backups on the road—also known as Litchfield Turnpike—near Route 15 have created headaches for Woodbridge residents as well as commercial traffic and commuters. The traffic clog occurs at the Exit 59 interchange and Klarides, with Sen. Joseph Crisco, contends it creates considerable public safety risks. That’s a point relayed by the two state lawmakers during their Jan. 7 meeting with Commissioner Joseph Marie at DOT headquarters. Also part of the discussion was short-term solutions to the intersection congestion as well as progress on a consultant-authored DOT report on the interchange. “To their credit, Woodbridge residents have remained patient about someone finding a solution to this frustrating problem, but I think everybody is ready for a bit of progress,” said Klarides, who is anxious to see the DOT report. “We did our best to convey the urgency of this, and we will continue to do so.” Crisco explained that the DOT will examine the zone between Bradley Road in Woodbridge, which intersects both Route 63 (Amity Road) and Route 69 (Litchfield Turnpike), and the Davis Street and Whalley Avenue intersection in New Haven’s Westville section. What’s more, Crisco proposed short-term solutions such as longer traffic signal intervals.