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Questions arise over tweaks to traffic study on proposed development in Danbury

The Danbury Planning Commission has held the first public hearing into a mixed use development proposal off Mill Plain Road.  WestConn Park is planning to have 200 residential units in three buildings, a bank, a restaurant, two retail buildings, and two office buildings, one with a 1st floor garage. 

Traffic volume generated by the project was expected to raise a number of questions, but one only briefly covered because the City's traffic engineers had not yet returned their analysis report.  During the hearing, the traffic engineer for the applicant, Joe Balskus, touched briefly on the estimated number of trips generated, the traffic signal proposed for Amity Lane and the impact on 5 nearby intersections. 

He did not note at the time that they altered the plan submitted to the Planning Commission.  When asked about the difference later by Commission Chair Arnold Finaldi, he said they only changed the estimates at Kenosia Avenue and plan to make additional tweaks.  Deputy Planning Director Jennifer Emminger said staff spent a lot of time reviewing the submitted report and it was unfair to make tweaks at the 9th hour before hearing, especially without saying that it was done while making the brief presentation.

To access the site, the applicant is proposing significant improvements to Amity Lane.  The private narrow road would be widened, extended, and signalized to provide access to the commercial and residential components. The plans and traffic study indicate there are right-of-way improvements proposed along Mill Plain Road, including exclusive left turn lane on the eastbound approach, exclusive right turn lane on the westbound approach. 

Two unsignalized driveways are planned, one approximately 2,200 feet east of Amity Lane to primarily serve the bank and restaurant uses. The other would be located approximately 3,600 feet east of Site Drive 2, primarily for the retail and mixed use spaces on the site.

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Dave Rinelli

Local Headlines