OT - Rt 8 between Seymour & Shelton = deathtrap

[ktuck911]

Folks I know this is off base but WTF is going on with the nut jobs on Rt 8 and their driving habits, bad ones???? Wrong way driving? You kiddin me? How on Earth does one end up driving the wrong way? Who are allowing/giving drivers licenses/keys to nowadays that are nutty enough take other people's lives other than their own?

It seems like that stretch of the road has been a HUGE issue... Too many deaths there lately, way too many....

 

[SubbaBub]

The surface ramps in Shelton and Derby are very confusing. Not a traditional diamond or clover set up at all. Unfamiliar drivers can easily make mistakes if they are relying on GPS

 

[UConnTrumbull]

The crash happened in the middle of the night. I don't think we should be calling anyone "nutty" it was an honest mistake. Not like someone was speeding or intoxicated, as far as we know. Prayers to the grieving families.

 

[ktuck911]

honest mistake? it's happening too often.. Gov Malloy needs to get that situation addressed... Put up blinding "WRONG WAY" signs if need be. It just shouldn't happen like it's been happening... I don't care if it was late at night.. shouldn't happen as frequent as it's been.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

honest mistake? it's happening too often.. Gov Malloy needs to get that situation addressed... Put up blinding "WRONG WAY" signs if need be. It just shouldn't happen like it's been happening... I don't care if it was late at night.. shouldn't happen as frequent as it's been.

Fair enough, I just hesitate to place blame on the DRIVER. I think it was an honest mistake on their end.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

There are big bright red signs that say WRONG WAY facing any driver approaching the wrong way on an off ramp.

Why is the first response "the government needs to do something ASAP"? Sometimes bad things happen. They are called accidents for a reason.

 

[FASTEDDY]

There are big bright red signs that say WRONG WAY facing any driver approaching the wrong way on an off ramp.

Why is the first response "the government needs to do something ASAP"? Sometimes bad things happen. They are called accidents for a reason.

I understand your point.

However, this stretch of road seems to be particularly perilous for some reason. They need to figure out what the problem is and FIX IT!.

If its frequently a wrong way driver issue, then it seems as thought the existing signage is ineffectual and needs improvement / modification.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

honest mistake? it's happening too often.. Gov Malloy needs to get that situation addressed... Put up blinding "WRONG WAY" signs if need be. It just shouldn't happen like it's been happening... I don't care if it was late

I understand your point.

However, this stretch of road seems to be particularly perilous for some reason. They need to figure out what the problem is and FIX IT!.

If its frequently a wrong way driver issue, then it seems as thought the existing signage is ineffectual and needs improvement / modification.

I'm sure there have been studies. But people who either live in the area or frequently drive in the area will always react more emotionally to it and assume it happens more there than anyone else. I'm saying it does or doesn't. I have no idea. But I would guess a lot of them include alcohol as a culprit. We have laws that make it illegal to drive drunk. That doesn't stop everybody from doing it.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I missed two different wrong-way drivers on Route 8 back in the early 2000s. It was a common occurrence back then.

 

[Adios]

The government will intervene and make you sit in cars that drive themselves. Do not worry.

 

[BlueandOG]

I'm from The Ripper (a.k.a Shelton). Welcome to the jungle...

 

[ktuck911]

and then yesterday afternoon a 61 y/0 guy runs into a service truck and gets killed (around lunchtime).. by exit 21 South (Seymour)... smh

 

[ktuck911]

I think my nerves are a little more jittery than most of you considering I'm teaching my soon to be 16 y/o how to drive right now... Makes you pay attention to more stuff...

 

[AZHuskiePop]

As someone who made that commute the road was never designed to accomadate the rush hour traffic.
Rte 8 was great back in the 50's
But back then most of the workers who lived along it could find employment locally.
But when people start commuting to Shelton and beyond from as far away as Torrington that road quickly becomes inadequate.
You could say the same about 95, 84 or 15

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I think my nerves are a little more jittery than most of you considering I'm teaching my soon to be 16 y/o how to drive right now... Makes you pay attention to more stuff...

I hear you. Every parents worst nightmare.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

It's the Valley, any questions?

 

[weyuo]

The problem is, as with most of this state's highway system, the roads are 20-25 years behind what the traffic demand is. There is no divided highway in CT that should be anything less than 3 lanes in either direction. For example, Rte 8, I-84 just east of Waterbury and then again between Danbury and Newtown, any part of I-95(particularly east of Branford to New London). There is way too much traffic on the interstate for any part of Connecticut to be less than 3 lanes in either direction. And never mind the mess that is I-95 between the NY line and New Haven. Why that hasn't been widened by two lanes in either direction is just criminal. The main artery in and out of New England and that's the best they can do? Shameful, just shameful.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

It's the Valley, any questions?

Since I was born at Griffin
Hospital( the necessary requirement for official valley status. )
As such I was gifted with an enormous gift of magnanimity. and will ignore that comment.

 

[Sky ball]

There are big bright red signs that say WRONG WAY facing any driver approaching the wrong way on an off ramp.

Why is the first response "the government needs to do something ASAP"? Sometimes bad things happen. They are called accidents for a reason.

No Big Nana needs to do something. We are not responsible. We are stupid and take no responsibility for our actions. Big Nana needs to help guide us through life ~ Cradle to Grave.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Since I was born at Griffin
Hospital( the necessary requirement for official valley status. )
As such I was gifted with an enormous gift of magnanimity. and will ignore that comment.

And so was I

 

[whaler11]

The problem is, as with most of this state's highway system, the roads are 20-25 years behind what the traffic demand is. There is no divided highway in CT that should be anything less than 3 lanes in either direction. For example, Rte 8, I-84 just east of Waterbury and then again between Danbury and Newtown, any part of I-95(particularly east of Branford to New London). There is way too much traffic on the interstate for any part of Connecticut to be less than 3 lanes in either direction. And never mind the mess that is I-95 between the NY line and New Haven. Why that hasn't been widened by two lanes in either direction is just criminal. The main artery in and out of New England and that's the best they can do? Shameful, just shameful.

Yeah 95 should be 5 lanes in each direction between New Haven and Greenwich. That seems really easy to make happen. You'd probably just need a trillion dollars. Not a make believe trillion... an actual trillion dollars.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Yeah 95 should be 5 lanes in each direction between New Haven and Greenwich. That seems really easy to make happen. You'd probably just need a trillion dollars. Not a make believe trillion... an actual trillion dollars.

No too mention that I-95 winds it way through some very expensive real estate and is adjacent to a set of railroad tracks that is one of the busiest rail corridors in the county. I-95 is never going to be wider than it is today. Ideally, widen I-84 to 4 lanes in each direction from Danbury (really from I-684 just over the border in New York) to Tolland or so in an effort to pull the regional, i.e. Boston to NYC, traffic, off if I-95. That should only cost half a trillion, dollars, give or take a few pennies.

 

[rich1122]

honest mistake? it's happening too often.. Gov Malloy needs to get that situation addressed... Put up blinding "WRONG WAY" signs if need be. It just shouldn't happen like it's been happening... I don't care if it was late at night.. shouldn't happen as frequent as it's been.

Put in tolls that's the answer.

With the number of people leaving the state we won't have to worry about traffic pretty soon.

 

[weyuo]

No too mention that I-95 winds it way through some very expensive real estate and is adjacent to a set of railroad tracks that is one of the busiest rail corridors in the county. I-95 is never going to be wider than it is today. Ideally, widen I-84 to 4 lanes in each direction from Danbury (really from I-684 just over the border in New York) to Tolland or so in an effort to pull the regional, i.e. Boston to NYC, traffic, off if I-95. That should only cost half a trillion, dollars, give or take a few pennies.

So your solution is to do nothing because it might upset the Greenwich, Darien , Stamford crowd? This is something that should have been addressed decades ago but as long as the Fairfield County folk are disturbed as least as possible billions will continue to be wasted on fuel and lost productivity as they crawl through the county between 6am and 11am 260 times a year. Unless they widen and extend I-684 down to I-95 your not going to gain anything by trying to divert traffic away from Fairfield County. Face it, the only way to fix the traffic problem down there is to widen I-95. If that means somebody has to give up real estate then so be it.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

So your solution is to do nothing because it might upset the Greenwich, Darien , Stamford crowd? This is something that should have been addressed decades ago but as long as the Fairfield County folk are disturbed as least as possible billions will continue to be wasted on fuel and lost productivity as they crawl through the county between 6am and 11am 260 times a year. Unless they widen and extend I-684 down to I-95 your not going to gain anything by trying to divert traffic away from Fairfield County. Face it, the only way to fix the traffic problem down there is to widen I-95. If that means somebody has to give up real estate then so be it.

You do know the dine-n-dash is not an option here right?