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Is Anyone Paying Attention?

All residents along the shoreline must endure the inconvenience of the Route 1 construction, including those of us who live near this project. In fact, there are times when it is more than an inconvenience—it is downright life-threatening. Recently, an Old Saybrook ambulance had to weave its way through from Spencer Plains past School House Road with horn blasting and sirens screaming. At Center Street, there was simply no place vehicles could move to. That is inexcusable.

The explanation in the Harbor News [July 13 “What’s the Story with…the Route 1 Roadwork Near Spencer Plains Road?”] said one of the causes of the delay was parts didn’t fit and a correct part had to be fabricated locally. Really? Now that section of road is to be repaved then torn apart next year for another project? Who is running this circus? Several times, I tried to report the problem with the lights at Chalker Beach Road and Center Street—when one light changes they both change, causing traffic to occasionally back up at 2:30 in the afternoon, not just at 4:30 p.m. when the roads are busy anyway. A bypass lane reportedly will correct this problem? Could those lights be trip lights? Why must we sometimes allow a half hour to get to Main Street in Old Saybrook when it shouldn’t be more than 10 minutes? It sounds to me like “residents be damned.” Is anyone paying attention to this project? Has the state has taken on so much we are small potatoes?

Is it high time the elected leaders of Old Saybrook and state Department of Transportation officials came out of their ivory-tower offices and sat in the parking lot at Jamms, just to watch what is going on every day?

Maybe that would get some action!

Sybil Nassau

Old Saybrook