Norwich – Reflecting the mixed opinions offered by numerous business owners and residents, the City Council voted 5-2 in favor Monday to support the state Department of Transportation's preliminary $42 million plan to restructure Route 82 with a series of roundabouts and a median divider to eliminate left turns.

Mayor Deberey Hinchey said the resolution would allow the DOT to start designing the complex project with assurances that state officials will return to the city with updated designs as plans progress. She said the DOT will give an update after 30 percent of the design work has been completed.

At this point, the preliminary design calls for six roundabouts replacing traffic signals from the major New London Turnpike intersection to the Asylum Street-Mechanics Street intersection. A median divider would prohibit all left turns along that stretch, and other improvements would be made along the rest of the busy commercial strip to improve safety.

“It's called by its nickname 'Crash Alley' for good reason,” Norwich Police Chief Louis Fusaro said.

Fusaro said at first he was not in favor of the drastic redesign proposed, but admitted he “got an education” on roundabouts and how they improve traffic flow and safety.

Several business owners along the strip offered mixed opinions of the preliminary plan for major reconstruction of the major roadway. Heidi Thony, whose father, Paul Agranovitch owns Universal Discount Package Store, strongly opposed the roundabouts plan. She said her father recalled the last time the state reconstructed the road – widening it from two to four lanes – in the 1980s, businesses struggled greatly.

“There was no business from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” Thony said. “That would happen again.”

But Michael Matera of Montville, whose family owns the Willow Tree shopping plaza at 381 West Main St., said he supported the project. He added that this project would not have been necessary if the DOT had designed the road properly 30 years ago. But Matera said his family travels to Brazil, where all modern, crowded roadways have roundabouts that work well.

“Traffic will move slower,” Matera said. “There will be a learning curve.”

Michael Aliano, president of American Ambulance, located at the corner of West Main Street and Route 32, said the roundabouts would improve response time, and is confident they would result in fewer traffic accidents. Aliano said the anticipated disruptions to businesses should be addressed.

Alderman H. Tucker Braddock suggested city officials contact the state Department of Economic and Community Development to assist businesses during what would be a lengthy construction period.

c.bessette@theday.com