Plan to Improve East Hampton Intersection Back on Track

It is one of the more dangerous intersections in East Hampton and for a while, it appeared a plan was in place to rectify that.

That was four years ago.

Apparently, the plan to insert a traffic light at the intersection of routes 66 and 196 is not dead after all.

The project, several years in the planning stages, was first presented to the town during a town council meeting in 2008. Called Intersection and Safety Improvements on Route 66 and Route 196 and Old Marlborough Road, the plan calls for, among other things, reducing the center island, improving sight lines, and adding a traffic light and turning lanes at the intersection. Catch basins and pickups will be included to treat and direct road runoff and improvements also will be made in both locations where Old Marlborough Road intersects with Route 66.

When funding for the project fell through, the plans were put on hold. Initially, 80 percent of the funding was to come from the federal government and 20 percent from the state. Now it appears the state will fund the entire project.

Tim Gaffey and Tim Wilson from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation presented the proposed changes at the Feb. 26, 2008, town council meeting, addressing several questions and concerns from those in attendance.

The anticipated time frame for work to begin is the spring of 2013. Meantime, the state will work to secure necessary right of ways from some landowners. The project should be completed within a year.

Residents interested in reviewing the plans, which number several pages, may call Dean Markham at 960-918-4400.