New London Turnpike to get improvements for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists

Yahoo

23-02-2025

Norwich — Stretching from the Norwichtown Green southward into Montville, New London Turnpike transforms from a commercial strip to a scenic, rural road, back to commercial and then runs past landmark institutions.
Norwich and Montville officials have been planning for the past 10 years to make major improvements to the 4-mile-long road to provide pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists with a safer route to school, work or recreation spots.
A two-pronged project totaling $5.4 million now getting started divides New London Turnpike into two sections, north and south of the busy Route 82-West Main Street intersection in Norwich. A third, separate project calls for Norwich to replace the aging bridge over the Yantic River near the side entrance to the Norwichtown Commons.
The new bridge is estimated to cost $6.5 million. Norwich has applied for federal congressional funding for the bridge construction and already has received an $800,000 federal grant to design the bridge, Public Works Director Brian Long said. City officials spent much of last week interviewing five finalist companies that submitted bids for the work.
Norwich and Montville are jointly working on a $2.8 million plan to repave 1.4 miles of roadway from Route 82 south to the Route 32 intersection in Norwich. Another $1.4 million will be used to construct 0.8 miles of new sidewalks to replace the narrow, well-worn paths workers heading to Mohegan Sun have created over the years.
Existing sidewalks that already run from Route 82 south along residential neighborhoods and in front of CT State Community College, Three Rivers are in good condition, Long said. Improvements would include handicapped access ramps in places. New sidewalks will be added to the Rose Garden Ice Arena, Norwich golf course, Malerba's farm store and into Montville to Route 32, where a traffic light includes crosswalks workers can use to reach Mohegan Sun.
The federal Local Transportation Capital Improvements Program grant has been awarded to cover the full construction cost, Long said. The municipalities must cover the cost of necessary rights of way and design work. Norwich will use its voter-approved road improvements bond to cover local match requirements, Long said.
Work on the portion of New London Turnpike from West Town Street at the Norwichtown Green to Route 82 is called New London Turnpike North Complete Streets Project. The city has received a $1 million Federal Highway Administration Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for this portion. The city is responsible for design work and securing rights of way.
The Norwich City Council on Monday approved acquisition of two small easements, one at the intersection with Lathrop Avenue near the green and one from the Beth Jacob Synagogue at 400 New London Turnpike, for the project.
Sidewalks will run from the West Town Street intersection at the green, past McDonald's restaurant, the entrances to several other businesses, the Norwichtown Commons entrance, across the Yantic River bridge, past Gorin's Furniture and past a complex of medical offices.
The road becomes rural after the Asylum Street intersection, so it makes no sense to add sidewalks there, Long said. Instead, the roadway will be striped with bicycle lanes in that area.
Sidewalks resume near the John B. Stanton School, running past the school, Beth Jacob Synagogue and All Friends Animal Hospital to the Route 82 intersection. Homes line the street on the opposite side from the school. Existing sidewalks in that area are in good condition but will be improved with handicapped-access ramps. Long said the roadway also is in good condition and does not need repaving, only restriping the pavement to add the bike lanes and define travel lanes, Long said.
While the improvements are aimed at accommodating 21st century travelers, New London Turnpike's initial purpose was to assist merchants and travelers trekking between Norwich and New London.
City Historian Dale Plummer said the original New London Turnpike — a much narrower and winding roadway — was one of America's first toll roads starting in the 1790s, hence the turnpike designation. The last stretch of toll on the road ended about 100 years later.
A narrow, stone wall-lined path still exists across from the Dudley Street intersection just south of the Route 2 overpass, a remnant of the original turnpike. There was a ford across the Yantic behind Backus Hospital, he said.
Plummer said Dudley Street and other roads that start and end at the current New London Turnpike could have been part of the original turnpike.
'It was one of the original turnpikes, because of the shipping industry,' Plummer said. 'In winter, Norwich Harbor would be iced in. Being able to bring goods down to New London via the turnpike made a lot of sense.'
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