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07/26/2024 11:58 AMThe Town of East Haven has received a grant totalling $781,004 from the state Community Connectivity Grant Program that will be directed towards the Messina Drive Traffic Signal and Pedestrian Walkway Project, “significantly enhancing safety and connectivity for our residents” in the congested area, according to a July 16 press release.
The project’s focus area, Messina Drive, is a part of town with much pedestrian and motorist traffic. To the west is the Trolley Square Shopping Center, which includes Stop and Shop, Walgreens, Dunkin Donuts, and Twin Pines Diner. Pedestrian traffic also flows from senior housing at East Farm Village on 55 Messina Drive.
Dictating the flow of traffic is a light that is “older than old” with inadequate operation, said Charles Coyle, superintendent of operations at East Haven Public Services.
“That’s a high profile [area] with East Farm Village and the supermarket,” he said. “It’s something that needed to be done.”
Coyle continued, “There’s a lot of traffic on that road. People come from Stop and Shop, and then [there is] people coming off of Saltonstall Parkway, using that road to go up north High Street to go to the north end of town.”
East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora expressed his appreciation to the state.
“This project is a major step forward in making our community safer and more accessible. The new traffic signal and pedestrian walkway on Messina Drive will provide our residents, especially those who frequent Trolly Square for shopping, with a safer route. We are grateful for the support from the state and our dedicated town officials in making this possible.”
According to the release, “The Messina Drive Traffic Signal and Pedestrian Walkway Project aligns with East Haven’s commitment to improving transportation connections and enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents. By investing in infrastructure that promotes safety and accessibility, we are building a stronger, more connected community.”
Such a commitment, along with adjacent economic development, is aligned with the thinking of Governor Ned Lamont.
“Our main streets and community centers serve as vital social, economic, and transportation hubs,” Lamont said in a statement. “Improving local infrastructure for all users in community centers is a win for our whole state and opens the door to further economic growth.”
Coyle said the traffic light at Messina Drive is slow in its operation and because they are not LED lights “sometimes people claim they don’t see them.”
He added that “the sidewalks are inadequate” and are due for a “makeup as well.”
Coyle said the next step for the town will be to hire an engineering firm “to do an engineered construction plan and come up with the plans to go out to bid.”
“Once that’s done, we can go forward” with hiring a firm for the hard work of the project, Coyle added.
He estimated construction at Messina Drive could begin in the spring of 2025.