The widening of Route 7 in New Milford is being done through seven contracts in two sections:
NORTHERN
SECTION (Click Here to Visit the Construction Site!)-Consists of widening Route 7 from 2 to 4 lanes from Lanesville Road north to Veterans Bridge. In addition to the widening,
one contract calls for the installation of a new sanitary sewer line in the Lanesville Road vicinity, as well as flood mitigation
just north of the intersection with Routes 202 and 67 at Veterans Bridge. Exclusive left turn lanes will be added where necessary,
and the replacement of a small bridge over a creek is included. The project cost is approximately $12 million and will take
2 years to complete.
Bids were opened on the project on March 16, 2002. However, the bids were thrown out when Clifford
St. John Developers petitioned the Department of Transportation and Department of Environmental Protection to conduct new
public hearings concerning flood mitigation at the northern end of the project. In order to prevent flooding of Route 7, the
original DOT plan was to raise the level of Route 7, while lowering part of Clifford St. John property five inches. Public
hearings were held on May 22, and rebidding may take place as early as September 2002.
SOUTHERN SECTION: South of
Lanesville Road to the Brookfield town line, Route 7 will be widened from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, with a 20-foot median separating
opposing lanes of traffic. Left turn lanes will be added where necessary. The Connecticut Department of Transportation is
currently acquiring land and seeking wetlands permits for this project. Bidding for the project is anticipated for Spring
2003, with construction expected to start by the fall of 2003.
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