The state Department of Transportation is hosting an online public information meeting next month on its plan to install centerline rumble strips on sections of West Street in Vernon.

West Street is a state highway and therefore maintained and managed by DOT. The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026 at 6 p.m. For details about the project and to access the meeting via zoom, visit https://portal.ct.gov/DOTVernon0171-0531.

DOT plans to add the centerline rumble strips to two sections of West Street, between Regan Road and Dailey Circle, and between Route 30 and to Daryl Drive.

Centerline rumble strips are grooves within the double yellow centerline that produce noise and vibration when the tires of a vehicle come into contact with them.  The noise and vibration alerts the driver that they have departed from their lane, and gives the driver an opportunity to correct course, according to DOT.

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne has opposed installation of rumble strips on state roadways in Vernon in the past and is against the West Street proposal. He said he wants people who live along and near West Street to know about the plan and to be aware of the DOT meeting so that they can voice any concerns they have.

“When cars and trucks drive on these rumble strips they make a lot of noise and neighbors are going to hear them around the clock,” Mayor Champagne said. “Cars and trucks travel West Street at all hours of the day and the noise is going to be constant. I want Vernon residents, especially those who live near West Street, to know about the plan, its potential impact, and to have the opportunity to tell DOT what they think.”

Centerline rumble strips are similar to the shoulder rumble strips used on limited access highways, but are narrower and shallower. DOT said rumble strips help prevent head-on collisions and lane departures.