Commission tells DOT it prefers hotel completion trigger for 404 Burlington traffic signal

The Kensington Police Commission voted to tell the Connecticut Department of Transportation that the installation of a median break and traffic signal for the 404 Burlington mixed-use development should remain tied to completion of the project’s hotel rather than to the developer’s proposed alternative trigger (a smaller bank and retail building).

Sergeant Bob reviewed the project’s history, saying the development was presented in 2020 with multiple traffic mitigation options and that DOT’s condition was originally keyed to the hotel as the triggering event. He told the commission that the developer now proposes building the hotel sooner and leaving a smaller bank/retail building as the final element; the developer asked the town to concur with that sequencing. "If that traffic signal and median break never get done, are we okay with that?" Sergeant Bob asked, summarizing the commission’s concern that an uncompleted final building could leave the town without the planned traffic improvements.

Commissioners discussed traffic-generation estimates and local conditions: planning staff and the town engineer were reported to differ in their assessments, the DOT’s traffic study dates from roughly six years ago, and commissioners noted competing nearby projects (CVS, McDonald’s, Goodwill) that affect overall traffic patterns. The commission heard that the development was scaled down from about 200 apartment units originally to 120 units in 2023 and that the hotel proposal is now described as roughly 90 rooms; the transcript notes a bond linked to the hotel with a figure cited in a highlighted document as $2.2 million associated largely with the cost of the median break and left-turn lane.

After discussion a motion passed directing staff to respond to DOT expressing the commission’s preference that the traffic-signal/median cut requirement remain tied to completion of the hotel, not completion of the entire development or to a small bank/retail building. Commissioners emphasized they will provide comment to DOT and that DOT will consider the town input before making a final determination.