Amy Hare, a transportation engineer with the DOT, reported Friday afternoon that the temporary signal at the construction site west of the village has been reported to be malfunctioning. Traffic is being flagged by the contractor until it can be fixed.
The Route 44 location, site of a multi-year construction project to install a new retaining wall and to slightly widen the passage, has been reduced to one lane and opposing traffic is controlled by lights that stop cars for up to two minutes at a time. Traffic frequently backs up for considerable distances in either direction.
The inconvenience and rough condition of the one-lane “chute,” as townspeople call it, was discussed at the Selectmen’s meeting Wednesday afternoon. Selectman Sandy Evans, a member of the town’s emergency services, complained about the uneven condition of the surface and the fact that the light’s cycle often catches drivers still in transit, causing traffic jams.
First Selectman Matt Riiska said he would confer with DOT engineers about the problems.