Plantsville, CT The Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE) presented Tighe & Bond with a 2015 Transportation Achievement in Civil Engineering (ACE) Award of Merit for a $2.2 million traffic signal improvement project on Main St. in Glastonbury. Presentation of the award took place at the annual ACE Awards Program at the Aqua Turf Club.

Shown are representatives from Tighe & Bond and the town of Glastonbury.

This project resulted in a traffic signal system that improves traffic flow, increases pedestrian safety, and reduces vehicle emissions along a heavily traveled corridor in the town’s commercial center.  The enhancement included complete replacement of traffic signal equipment at six signalized intersections along a mile-long stretch of Main St. It also included the development of a new closed loop traffic signal system that is operated from town hall using fiber optic communications between the traffic controllers and the central system.

Key features include decorative black traffic signal equipment that blends with the aesthetics of the corridor, video detection that helps control the signals at each intersection and battery back-up along with uninterrupted power systems to help eliminate downtime during power failures.  Also, emergency pre-emption helps fire trucks navigate the corridor more efficiently. In addition, fiber optic communications connect the traffic signals to each other and the central software in town hall, providing bandwidth for future expansion of the system.

Tighe & Bond served as the lead engineering consultant for this project, supported by IBI Group, and provided both design and construction phase services.  During construction, Tighe & Bond partnered with the town to conduct construction observations and reporting to meet federal and state requirements for the project.

The project, which was completed last year, was funded through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program, and selected for funding by the Capitol Region Council of Governments.