Torrington subcommittee asks engineering to add business-access signage to construction bid specs

Torrington’s ordinance subcommittee discussed complaints from downtown merchants about access during summer construction and directed city engineering staff to include standardized signage requirements in future project bid specifications. The committee heard that the Midgen Avenue/Wolcott corner experienced multiple overlapping projects this summer — utility work, paving and local detours — which temporarily impaired customer access for some businesses.

Engineering staff member Paul said contractors must submit detour plans before starting work and that contract specifications already require business access “24/7” whenever feasible. He told the committee the department had used door‑to‑door outreach and press releases during the Midgen project and already places general “Local traffic only” and “Road open for business” signs on some projects. Paul said the city avoids business‑specific signs to prevent perceived favoritism, but acknowledged some businesses (for example Lily and Vine) had placed their own signs during recent work.

Committee Chair raised whether a new ordinance was needed; staff recommended adding requirements into the bid/specification process as a quicker, implementable alternative. Committee members asked whether state road projects (Route 4) could be required to follow the same rules; engineering staff said the city cannot unilaterally require state contractors to change their specs but can incorporate signage requirements into city projects and pursue state concurrence during the design/review phase of state‑involved projects. Paul offered to draft a policy specifying sign wording, size and placement and circulate it for committee comment.

The committee did not vote on an ordinance; instead it directed engineering staff to draft a signage policy to be circulated and returned for committee review. Paul said he will prepare the draft policy for the committee to review at a future meeting.