Town of Greenwich Awarded $4 Million to Improve Traffic and Air Quality on U.S. Route 1

Town of Greenwich is one of 10 municipalities selected by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) to receive a grant through the Federal Highway Administration’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program.

The CMAQ Program funds transportation projects aimed at improving air quality and vehicular traffic and is awarding Town of Greenwich Department of Public Works $4 million for the U.S. Route 1 Corridor Traffic Signal Optimization Project. To help improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and lower emissions, this project is proposing to install adaptive signal control technology on 29 traffic signals, adjust signal timing, and install audible pedestrian signal hardware. This project is located on U.S. Route 1 within the Town boundary, from Port Chester, NY, to Stamford, CT.

As part of the CMAQ Improvement Program, Connecticut invests federal funds in local, cost-effective projects that will reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. The U.S. Route 1 Corridor Traffic Signal Optimization Project is designed to improve traffic patterns and flow, which reduces unnecessary idling at traffic lights. This project will utilize Adaptive Signal Control Technology (ASCT) hardware and software, which allows traffic signals to respond to the traffic demand in real-time by continuously optimizing signal timings by detecting the actual vehicle volume and identifying traffic coming from the surrounding intersections.

“These strategic investments will not only help eliminate traffic bottlenecks in certain communities and build out electric vehicle chargers in others, but they will also help move Connecticut towards cleaner air and a cleaner transportation system,” Governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont, stated in his announcement.

According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), transportation emissions are the largest contributor to Connecticut’s greenhouse gas emissions and are responsible for over 67% of smog-forming air pollution in Connecticut. 

“The Town of Greenwich was very excited to hear the news that we have been included in the CMAQ grant.  The Town’s project is a $4 million dollar grant to update the signals along U.S. Route 1 and install new Adaptive Signal Technology that should improve traffic flow, improve pedestrian safety and reduce congestion in the corridor.  The Town will start working with the state to determine the next steps to get the project into design in the coming months.” said Jim Michel, P.E., Deputy Commissioner of Town of Greenwich Department of Public Works.