The town is hoping to improve another intersection by buying and demolishing a home.
The town is interested in purchasing and tearing down a house at 125 Douglas Road, making it easier to align the roadway with Sycamore Street to the north along New London Turnpike. Town Manager Richard J. Johnson said the town would purchase the home for $125,000. In 2008, the town purchased a home at the corner of Griswold and House streets for $220,000 and demolished it. The town is awaiting grant money to align House and Harris streets now that the house is gone.Johnson said Douglas Road is a popular shortcut from New London Turnpike and Hebron Avenue to Main Street. But those traveling east on the road have to really crane their necks to see approaching eastbound traffic on the turnpike. It is also difficult to turn left on New London Turnpike.
"It can create some issues," Johnson pointed out, adding the police department is currently reviewing the accident rate and compiling a safety report on the intersection.
Councilman Lawrence Byar said he uses Douglas Road as a shortcut and said he was "sure a fair number of people" do as well.
"With the potential of further development down New London Turnpike in the not-so-distant future, I would see traffic flow increasing quite a bit in this area," he said.
Under one potential plan, the section of Douglas Road on which the house sat would be moved north, directly across from Sycamore StreetThat would create better sightlines and distance the intersection from the Route 17 on ramp off the turnpike.
"This does not commit the town to any future road alignment," Johnson said. "It does not commit the town to any level of funding for it. It does not commit the town to a time schedule. [But] it's important to make it known that the opportunity is available."
The board of finance and town plan and zoning commission will review the Douglas Road purchase early next year. A public hearing is scheduled Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. in town council chambers of town hall.
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