The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-24

re-study of the converging ap- breaches to the bridges.
 "This, I understand, the high way commissioner is now doing"
 The governor said he had taken two rides over the four-lane high way, still under construction, and:
 T then saw, as I imagined the road completed, parkway surpass- ing in form and beauty any so- called parkway in Westchester County of New York or elsewhere in New England"
 Concerned Bridge Design
 Bennett's eight-page report con- cerned only bridge design, construc- ton and approaches.
 "It is my considered judgment" he wrote the governor, that these bridges do not constitute 8 serious menace to traffic under reasonable driving conditions.
 My conclusions are that the con- ditions are not excessively danger ous and that with proper restrictions and adjustments the parkway may be used with safety"
 He recommended certain" changes in design of proposed bridges at Westport and Fairfield, six of which now are ready for bids.
 Lengthen Conveyance Lane
 The governor recommended that conveyance lanes, "now some four of five hundred feet from the ma sonary," be heightened.
 Tt would be better" he said, "to start the conyerging of the lanes a thousand or more feet away.
 q have recommended that this practice be adopted in all bridges yet to be built and in the exist ing bridges wherever feasible"
 Bennett, who preceded Macdonald as highway commissioner, recom- mended:
 Bennett Recommends
 1. A parkway speed limit of from 50 to 60 miles an hour.
 2. Proper policing, adequate signs, pavement marking, planting of trees and shrubs and adequate lighting.
 Glare from opposing headlights at the convergence under the bridges may be "minimized," Ben nett said, by lighting, marking and shrubbery planting.
 3. At occasional intervals along the parkway there should be spaces available for suitable turn-outs and occasional parking space"
 With these corrections, Bennett said, any hazard which may be caused by convergence of the road way under bridges might be elim- mated. In many cases, the 21-foot separation stripe, he said, narrows to 16 inches under the bridges.
 Then he concluded:
 No Serious Dangers
 with references to the bridges, conditions are not seriously dan gerous with the qualifications made.
 "There is no probability of a series of continuous accidents due to masonary construction.
 "There will be a vital need for careful study of traffic regulation, guidance and control.
 Consideration should be given to patrol and policing particularly in times of extreme congestion"
 As for the six proposed bridges now awaiting bids, Bennett said three of them were in his opinion, correct in design.
 The remaining three, should be widened by approximately 10 feet. He said the convergence strip under this trio of bridges should be eight feet.
 50 Bridges Built
 Approximately 50 of the 60 bridges planned for the 32-mile highway from the New York state line, where it connects with the Hutchinson river parkway, to Trumbull, which adjoins Bridge port. have been built.
 The parkway is part of state highway department plan to cross Connecticut with a r-highway to the Massachusetts border.
 Criticism of the bridge designs was contained in a lengthy report several months ago by Commission CT Hurley. Not only did he condemn certain features of parkway con- struction, but also various methods of highway department operation.
 The governor indicated in re- cent press conference that he would take up major differences between Hurley and Macdonald point by OOint.n