Good news, Route 34 Derby motorists.
The state Department of Transportation has agreed to put two right-turn lanes back onto Route 34 as part of the major bridge rehab currently underway.
The state is basically rebuilding the bridge that carries motorists on Route 34 back and forth between east and west Derby over the Naugatuck River. It’s caused major traffic issues at the Route 34/Route 115 intersection.
Click here for a story the Valley Indy published when the project started in 2014.
The project is scheduled to be done by November, a DOT spokesman wrote in an email Thursday.
Prior to the construction project, cars traveling east over the bridge could make a left onto Route 115 (Derby Avenue) in front of St. Michael’s Church.
Cars also had two turning lanes to make a right at St. Michael’s, in order to continue traveling east on Route 34 toward New Haven.
But, during construction, the state reduced the bridge to two lanes eastbound — one lane to turn left toward Ansonia, and one to continue traveling east toward New Haven.
The new configuration, with just two lanes, was intended to be permanent.
But Derby officials told the state the configuration triggered traffic headaches because too many motorists were trying to squeeze into one lane where there had previously been two.
It’s at the point where the configuration is causing “aggressive driving,” according to a state summary of a meeting between Derby officials and the state DOT.
The bridge project and/or its lane configuration has also resulted in regular traffic jams along Derby’s Main Street, and on the Route 34 exit ramp from Route 8 north.
Derby first responders also raised concerns about the two-lane configuration eastbound.
The state DOT sent a letter to Derby May 27 telling the city they would return the eastbound lanes to their original configuration.
The news was first reported by Derby Alderman Art Gerckens on his Twitter feed:
Great job, Mayor Dugatto! https://t.co/Ya7HeJzpjJ
— Art Gerckens (@AldermanArtG) June 17, 2016
It looks like Rte 34 eastbound will return to 2 right turn and a single left turn lane.
Derby officials who lobbied the state included Mayor Anita Dugatto, Derby Police Department Chief Gerald Narowski and Deputy Chief Scott Todd, Dugatto’s chief of staff Leslie Crane, Dugatto’s chief administrative assistant Henry Domurad, Derby Fire Commissioner Michael Kelleher and Derby Fire Department Assistant Chief Robert Laskowski.
