State senators announce proposed Rte. 8 safety improvements in Seymour

HARTFORD - State Senators Eric Berthel, R- 32, and Kevin Kelly, R-21, announced proposed safety improvements to a dangerous section of Route 8 in Seymour. 

The changes are a result of the legislators’ request for a Department of Transportation traffic study of the high-incident section of the highway.

“The section of Route 8 near Exit 22 contains a sharp, horizontal curve that has seen a growing number of accidents as traffic increased,”  Berthel said. “My colleagues and I asked the DOT to study conditions and traffic patterns in the area to find ways to make it safer for drivers.”

In a letter from the DOT, Commissioner James Redeker writes that staff performed pavement surface testing in both directions of the highway. Tests found the section of the roadway provides sufficient friction to help vehicles slow down and stop.

“I am glad that the DOT looked beyond the surface condition of the roadway for opportunities to make the area safer,” Kelly said. “We know that a number of factors can contribute to vehicle accidents, including weather, speed, and visibility. Providing a more advanced warning of the approaching curve and including the DOT’s proposed retroreflective delineators on the media barriers could go a long way to addressing divers’ ability to see and respond to the roadway.”

The letter noted that the speed limit on Route 8 is 55 mph and the curved portions of the road specifically are marked 50 mph. However, monitoring of the area found a large number of vehicles exceed 70 mph.

The senators acknowledged that increasing State Police presence, as suggested by the DOT, should prompt drivers to slow down in the area. They also applauded the proactive measures the DOT is suggesting to help make the highway safer for drivers and passengers.

The letter stated that DOT would continue working with Seymour’s Local Traffic Authority and Seymour Police to improve safety in the area.

Berthel represents the communities of Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Middlebury, Oxford, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury, Washington, Watertown, and Woodbury.

Kelly represents the communities of Monroe, Seymour, Shelton, and Stratford.

This is a press release from the CT Senate Republican Office.