The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to conduct a safety improvement project on State Route 602 (Warsaw Street in Deep River and North Main Street in Essex) this month. New, all-metal guiderails will be installed on those streets.

“Any work to improve safety in the area is always welcome,” said Essex First Selectman Norm Needleman.”

DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick explained that the guiderails are an updated version of what used to be called guardrails.

“The term guardrail gives the false impression that they are there to guard you and save you from harm, when really the guiderails are in place because they are the lesser of two evils. They are there to prevent vehicular impact and are designed to reduce the severity of the consequences,” Nursick said. “For example, if there is a road on the edge of a cliff, a guiderail is installed so that if the car is traveling at the speed limit and accidentally runs into the guiderail, while there may still be harm caused, the car will not fly off the cliff, which would most likely have catastrophic consequences.”

There are several different types of guiderails used throughout the state, depending on the circumstances of the area. The different guiderails include wire-tension rope, metal beams shaped in a W, and concrete guiderails, which are flared at the bottom, designed so the tires of a vehicle hit the guiderail first.

“Guiderails are attenuated to absorb alternate impacts much like a crumple zone is designed to do the same on a car,” said Nursick. “And because safety standards change over time, we continually upgrade our guiderails to meet current safety standards so they perform better.”

The guiderail work in Deep River and Essex will be ongoing through Monday, December 23.

Motorists can expect lane closures on Route 602 from Route 154 in Deep River to Route 80 in Essex during the planned work. Traffic control personnel and signing patterns will assist motorists through the work zone, which has a regular schedule of 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Motorists should be aware the work schedule could be modified or extended due to weather delays or other conditions. Drivers should maintain safe speeds while driving in the area.