Closing of Hammonasset State Beach Causes Traffic Mess In Madison

MADISON, CT - The combination of July 4th and a hot, sunny day is proving to be too much for the town of Madison to handle - traffic-wise, anyway.

All state parks, including Hammonasset, the state’s biggest, are filled to the brim and closed. Hammonasset stopped accepting beachgoers shortly before 11 a.m.

On social media, one commenter said: “The line to get into Hammonasset this am at 7:15 was half way up the connector. I’m not surprised they’re closed.‘’

Another placed the blame on the state’s new system which only charges out of state cars for parking.

“I'm guessing when the state made it free to go to Hammonassett no one at that level considered something like this could happen! And the town of Madison will foot most of the cost,” a commenter said on social media.

Actually in state residents do pay a one-time, every two year, $10 fee to use state parks, when renewing drivers’ licenses.

Madison First Selectman Tom Banisch had this to say about the situation on social media Thursday afternoon:

“State parks are closed and people are parking along Rte. 1, the connector and even in neighborhoods near the park.

“The police have shut down the exit ramps to the connector and are getting cars moved as quickly as possible. We’ve had to close our beaches as the parking lots are full.

“It’s a beautiful July 4th, and we can’t control what people will do, but the police and Beach & Rec are responding as quickly and efficiently as possible.”