Progress Being Made, Wolcott Provides for Area

“Happiness is when you can run warm water over your hands for minutes on end,” remarked an elderly woman staying at Wolcott’s storm shelter at the Senior Center Tuesday morning. Indeed. A dozen residents left the shelter Monday evening when they found out power was restored to the Woodtick and Wolf Hill Rd. neighborhoods that night. Some opted to stay at the shelter to allow their residences a chance to warm up over night first however.

The Shelter was full Monday night for dinner as workers from La Fortuna restaraunt volunteered to cook hamburgers and homefries. “People have been really good – donating eggs and offering food. We keep getting phone calls all day from residents wanting to help out,” says Senior Center director Donna Belval. About 15 residents were in the center just before noon Tuesday, but families have been coming and going to warm up and then head back outside.

Weather and Road Closures

Good Morning.

At 9:00 am Monday morning, we have compiled a weather report:

Monday – Black ice until about 11 am. Heavy fog in some patches this morning due to temperature changes between lakes and the air. Sunny with a high aronud 45 degrees. Temperatures tonight will be above freezing, but cold.

Tuesday – Cloudy with a scattered shower as a front passes to our south. Heavy rain will stay near Long Island, but Wolcott should be ok. Temperatures just below 50 degrees.

Wednesday – Thursday – Temperatures reaching around 60, sunny. Overnight temps in the mid 40s.

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As of Monday morning, the following key roads are still closed:

Meriden Rd. / Rt. 322 – –

Road Construction Report

Route 69 in the North End of town will continue to be slow as the State DOT continues to re-align the intersection with Woodtick and Long Swamp Roads. A section of Wolcott Rd. has been dug up exposing a dirt section lined with cones at Long Swamp. Expect a slow traffic pattern at the busy three street intersection as vehicles negotiate the dirt roadway. Local businesses including A Little Bite of Everything, Harold’s Country Store, and J & M Pizza are open.

Woodtick Rd. may also see delays as brush is cleared and fill is placed just south of the intersection. Eventually, Clark St. will be turned into a dead end and a traffic light will be placed at the new intersection. Wolcott Rd. will be physically moved about 15 feet to the west. This project is expected to be completed before winter.

Work in the Industrial Park has begun this week. Cocchiola Paving has begun placing drainage culverts and piping near the intersection of Tosun and Nutmeg Valley Roads. Those structures are on the roadway as the company begins to improve drainage in the area.

Truck traffic may still pass through the area, although the intersection will be limited to a single lane at times.

This project is part of an ongoing commitment to improve drainage in the low lying area, as well as reconstruct the road and lay new utilities. Federal grants are funding the bulk of the project and the project is expected to take approximately three seasons.