Dowtown Ansonia travelers may get some traffic relief in the upcoming weeks.
The Ansonia Police Commission is looking to create temporary “No Parking” zones on Bridge Street to alleviate traffic road caused by bridge construction on Maple Street.
The zones would apply for about two hours during morning rush hour traffic and two hours during evening rush hour traffic.
Commissioners this week said the state Department of Transportation appears willing to allow the temporary measure.
The police department is awaiting written approval before implementing the changes, according to Police Chief Kevin Hale.
The no Parking zones would affect the section of Bridge Street between Main Street and West Main Street, in front of JRB’s and Out to Lunch.
Prohibiting parking on the stretch would allow two lanes of traffic to travel toward the Naugatuck River on Bridge Street.
With traffic diverted to Bridge Street because of the road closure, cars line up on Main Street and Bridge Street, as they try to maneuver through during rush hour.
No Money For Signs
Two months into the fiscal year, the department has used up almost all of its budget for signs and road painting, Chief Kevin Hale told the police commission last Wednesday.
“This is it until next July,” Hale said.
The department is allotted $5,000 to purchase new signs and paint crosswalks each year.
Hale said about $4,600 was used to repaint faded crosswalks — particularly in the areas of schools — this summer.
That means there’s only $400 left to make any needed sign purchases.
Hale asked the commission to prioritize which signs they would like to purchase in order to stay within the budget.
