HighwaysIn the last decade, Connecticut invested $350 million in targeted improvements to I-84 in Waterbury. By widening and realigning a 2.7 mile stretch of highway, that investment increased average rush-hour speeds in the worst congested areas by more than 45 mph, reduced rush-hour travel time from 30 minutes to 4 minutes, cut monthly traffic crashes from 38 to 3, and saved Connecticut drivers 9,300 hours a day.
In the next decade, we can replicate that success across the state. CT2030 makes targeted enhancements across our most traveled highways: I-95, I-91, I-84, and Routes 9 & 15. It also invests in communities by funding significant improvements to local roads across the state. Those enhancements, and the state of good repair projects listed here, will drastically improve safety, reduce congestion, and eliminate the daily uncertainty of your commute.
CT2030 Highways
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CT2030 will deliver better designed exits and lanes through one of Connecticut’s most important corridors which will lead to less congestion, making it easier for kids to get to school, parents to get to work, and for goods to flow freely. Crossings with user fees, like the MixMaster through Waterbury, as approved by the Federal Government, will lead to safer bridges, and improved traffic patterns during the morning rush hour.
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Total Estimated Cost: $225 Million
CT2030 is looking to replicate some of the best transportation successes seen around the state, such as the 2019 widening of I-84 in Waterbury. This plan mandates that CTDOT identify similar sections of roadway that can be improved through strategic upgrades like widening, straightening, and restriping that can reduce travel times. These kinds of improvements are necessary, and they help reduce the states carbon footprint by reducing the amount of congestion on major highways.
Total Estimated Cost: $110-140 Million
Commuter Benefits: Use existing road that is unfinished to connect to Route 4. This eases congestion by providing another option for drivers.
There is a partially built, but unused section of highway which could connect Farmington all the way to Route 4 from Route 9 and I-84. This will lead to the opening of a pressure valve for some of the local traffic in Farmington by utilizing the unused roadway, and providing access to another thoroughfare.
Total Estimated Cost: $5-7 Million
Commuter Benefits: Exit upgrades rebuild the ramp, improving access to local roads, relieving congestion from both the highway and locally.
This is yet another exit on a Connecticut interstate highway that was not designed with modern traffic in mind. When drivers come off the ramp, there is an abrupt stop at the end, which leads to headaches for both interstate and local drivers. Improvements to the exit structure will lead to better flows of traffic on and off the highway, decreasing delays on local roads in Southbury.
CT2030 delivers an I-91 that’s faster and safer than ever before, with Connecticut drivers able to move north and south with ease, and out of state drivers head to vacation destinations, while supporting upgrades to Connecticut infrastructure.
As improvements to I-91 have been completed, it makes the travel through Connecticut’s Capital City far more reasonable, and trips up to Massachusetts aren’t needlessly delayed.
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Total Estimated Cost: $205 Million
CT2030 is looking to replicate some of the best transportation successes seen around the state, such as the 2019 widening of I-84 in Waterbury. This plan mandates that CTDOT identify similar sections of roadway that can be improved through strategic upgrades like widening, straightening, and restriping that can reduce travel times. These kinds of improvements are necessary, and they help reduce the State’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of congestion on major highways.
Total Estimated Cost: $300 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improvements lead to less congestion through better traffic patterns and changes to the roadway, like ramps that cut off from other lanes with barriers.
The merge between I-91 and I-84 is one of the most notorious in the entire state and CT2030 takes a closer look at what can be done to fix it. Targeted and focused improvements will help the flow of traffic leading to faster driving times, wider and more accessible roadways, and more reliable commute times.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $265-300 Million
Commuter Benefit: Time savings of 10 minutes roundtrip, reduced congestion, and driver safety
This notorious junction of three major roadways is drastically different in CT2030. There are no longer cars weaving in and out jockeying for position. The lines of cars present on I-91 South and from Route 15 onto either I-691 or I-91 are gone and traffic flows smoothly, making the roads safer for everyone who drives on them. With a phased approach to reconfiguring this interchange, drivers will experience multiple waves of improvements more immediately than traditional construction methods, all leading to a smoother commute. Rebuilt ramps and new engineering provide minutes back to drivers every day, making rides to work more pleasant and rides home more enjoyable.
Total Estimated Cost: $30-35 Million
Commuter Benefit: Safety & Reliability
Dexter Coffin Bridge is a major river crossing near the airport. In CT2030, drivers traveling south from Massachusetts will safely and efficiently cross this bridge over the Connecticut River heading to the airport, Hartford, or southbound destinations. Connecticut residents will benefit from smooth travel northbound to destinations of Windsor and beyond. Making improvements to this bridge will eliminate the need for regular repairs, reducing the amount of construction needed, and leading to fewer delays for morning and evening commuters. This will make travel times through Windsor Locks more reliable in both directions.
In CT2030, work has begun to implement the I-95 Strategic Implementation Corridor Plan from Greenwich to New Haven. This Corridor Plan presents short, mid, and long term strategic projects to address bottlenecks along one of Connecticut’s, and New England’s, most heavily traveled highways. These projects are aimed at addressing the outdated operation and over-capacity of the I-95 corridor in a such as was to immediately reduce congestion in a strategic way that sequentially adds capacity by improving operational deficiencies along the entire corridor. Some of the types of improvements identified include:
- Lanes from Greenwich to Bridgeport are added, exits are widened providing a release to the congestion Connecticut drivers face every day.
- Pay as you go bridges in limited locations, as approved by the Federal Government, will lead to additional federal funding, accelerating progress on this critical corridor.
- If all improvements receive full-funding, a decrease in travel time by 35% is anticipated. Over the course of a week or even a full year, that is a priceless amount of time.
- Drivers spend less time in traffic, and more time at work, increasing productivity, or at home, improving quality of life.
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Start in 2030, Preliminary Project Cost $350-650 Million
Commuter Benefit: Estimated time savings of 22 minutes per person during the afternoon rush-hour, Reduced Congestion, Driver Safety & Reliability
Drivers who depend on I-95 for their daily commute recognize the need to address this portion of the corridor. In CT2030 this work will finally be underway. One of the biggest differences drivers will see is an added lane heading northbound between Exit 19 and Route 8. That additional lane will increase capacity on the roadway, alleviating both the existing bottleneck and congestion for miles to the west on I-95. Over the course of a commuting year, drivers will spend a combined 72 fewer hours in traffic – regaining three full days’ worth of time as a direct result of these improvements. That kind of time savings is what makes CT2030 a forward-thinking vision for transportation infrastructure investment.
Total Estimated Cost: $8-12 Million
Commuter Benefits: Better exit access, fewer crashes, new construction means a wider ramp for increased capacity and reduced stop and go traffic at the ramp.
The Route 8 ramp from I-95 was not designed to support the thousands of cars that travel on the road every day. Today, this means consistent traffic backups as drivers wait to merge onto the ramp by way of a single exit lane. In CT2030, the ramp will be widened, allowing more cars onto the ramp at a time, thereby improving access to Route 8 and speeding up both highways by reducing congestion.
Total Estimated Cost: $75-85 Million
Commuter Benefits: Upgrades to the roadway, new traffic signals at the end of exits, better drainage, all lead to fewer delays.
This project improves yet another section of roadway that hasn’t seen improvement in decades. Between regular maintenance and traffic issues, improvements to this section of I-95 will lead to less congestion, especially during the busy summer months when vacationers are utilizing Connecticut roadways more often.
Preliminary Project Cost $80-100 Million
Commuter Benefits: Reduced Congestion, Route Optionality, More Reliable Traffic Pattern
Access to and from major roadways has improved drastically in CT2030. With a new exit ramp and improved traffic pattern, the full interchange at the Milford Connector now provides more choices for drivers when taking Route 1, I-95, or the Merritt Parkway (Route 15) for their east-west travels. More options for drivers means more ways to get to work and to get home. The existing exit structure leads to delays, and the improvements laid out in CT2030 would eliminate that congestion, making commute times more reliable.
Total Estimated Cost: $50-70 Million
Commuter Benefit: Reduced Congestion, More Reliable Traffic Pattern
This critical section of I-95 is one of the chokepoints on I-95 that has led to headaches and delays for years on I-95. In CT2030, the outdated interchange at Boston Post Road (Exits 39 and 40) will be upgraded and improved, easing congestion, reducing travel times, boosting productivity allowing drivers to travel to and from work easier.
Total Estimated Cost: $230 Million
Commuter Benefits: Congestion improvements ranging from lane upgrades, improved exits, and improves patterns for seasonal traffic coming through Connecticut
Parts of Connecticut’s highways, due to outdated design from decades ago, have an accordion-style lane structure and width, going from two to three or three to two in spots. These lead to delays and needless congestion. Striping, widening, and longer lanes, where possible, all make the issues of traffic better on I-95 from New Haven to Rhode Island. This will be especially significant during the busy summer months.
Estimated Cost: $34-40 Million
Commuter Benefits: Reduced Congestion, Route Options for Commuters, Safety & Reliability
Easing congestion and giving time back to commuters is one of the tenets of CT2030. No one should be needlessly stuck in congestion that can be prevented. CT2030’s new north and southbound exit structure will accomplish that in Stratford. Drivers will have another option to get on and off I-95, providing a pressure valve from the exits immediately north and south of Exit 33. This will reduce the time it takes to head north toward New Haven and South toward Bridgeport
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Total Estimated Cost: $10 Million ($18 Million potentially if combined with another project)
Commuter Benefits: New technology allows for better connectivity to reduce traffic delays on Routes 15 and 5.
This project will replace aging traffic signal equipment that has exceeded its life expectancy at 15 locations along U.S. Route 5/Route 15 from Rowley Street in Berlin to Nott Street in Wethersfield. This is a pilot project to install advanced traffic signal technology to more effectively manage daily traffic, and will be connected to the Department of Transportation’s Highway Operation Center to allow for real-time signal adjustments to minimize delays to motorists.
Total Estimated Cost: $5-6 Million
Commuter Benefits: Widening of the road makes it easier for drivers to turn in this area, making it safer, and allowing for smoother traffic flow
This project improves safety between Evers Street and Beverly Place by making it easier for left-turning vehicles and rebuilding sections so drivers can see better through the roadway.
Total Estimated Cost: $8.5-10 Million
Commuter Benefits: Rebuilds a 100 year old intersection that was not designed for modern vehicles or traffic patterns makes the area safer for drivers.
Lafayette Circle, like many intersections around Connecticut, was not designed for 2019 roadways and all that comes with them. The modernization of this intersection will reduce a local bottleneck, making it easier for cars and for buses to drive through.
Total Estimated Cost: $12.4 Million
Commuter Benefits: Eased congestion through the construction of a new roadway, and improvements to the pavement.
Seaview Avenue in Bridgeport sees consistent delays, the cause of which is twofold: more cars on the road than ever before, and poor design. In CT2030, a newly constructed roadway will improve the lane structure and fortify the pavement, resulting in more reliable travel times and less maintenance – meaning fewer delays.
Total Estimated Cost: $7.1 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improvements to intersections reduce the number of crashes, as this is one of the highest frequency crash locations in Connecticut.
This section along Federal Road in Brookfield is notorious for crashes and traffic delays. An improved intersection and upgrades to the signal structure will lead to less traffic and fewer crashes, making it easier for drivers to access the various shopping and restaurant options on this stretch of road.
Total Estimated Cost: $52 Million
Benefits: Grant program for municipalities to make improvements to sidewalks
This program helps local communities make necessary improvements for pedestrians. Cities and towns rely on support from the state for various infrastructure improvements and this program delivers on that promise, making it an important program in CT2030.
Total Estimated Cost: $85-100 Million
Commuter Benefits: Notoriously confusing and dangerous merge with three highways is improved by changing ramps to avoid cars weaving and cutting across lanes. The simpler connections leads to fewer crashes and smoother traffic flow
Route 3 provides one of the only major crossings of the Connecticut River and is a critical connection to Route 2 in the southern portion of the Capital Region. The heavy flow of traffic during peak commuting hours is often inhibited by the current configuration of ramps and the mainline lanes of Routes 2, 3, and 17 by causing extensive weaving. This project aims to simplifying the connection of these major roadways to and allow traffic to access these critical links in a smoother and more direct manner.
Total Estimated Cost: $7-8 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improves the traffic flow of a notoriously backed up section in Granby that goes into an area with pedestrians. Upgrades improve capacity and ease congestion during rush hour.
This intersection, as currently designed, leads to drivers weaving across traffic to travel in the proper direction, which is dangerous, leads to crashes, which leads to delays. A rebuilt roadway and intersection design will lead to a safer roadway, faster speeds during rush hour, and better access on a daily basis.
Total Estimated Cost: $6-8 Million
Commuter Benefits: New intersections lead to fewer crashes as this area is known for t-bone collisions.
The purpose of this project is to improve safety by reducing the number of serious crashes and reducing congestion at the intersections of Bridge Road /Route 154 (Saybrook Road) and Route 9 Connector/ Route 154 (Saybrook Road). This project proposed to replace both intersections with a modern roundabout.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $4-6 Million
Commuter Benefits: Safety through less stop and go traffic, Improved exit access
Enhanced access to commuter and residential areas increasing economic activity and quality of life. Exits up and down Route 15 from Greenwich to central Connecticut was not designed with modern traffic in mind, and that has led to safety risks and congestion that prevents efficient traffic flow, increases travel time, and has made it uncertain as to how long it will take to reach your destination. At this interchange, the current conditions include looping ramps that provide very little acceleration or deceleration distance for vehicles. This project will make it easier for drivers to access the Wilbur Cross Parkway from Whitney Avenue.
Total Estimated Cost: $5.5-6 Million
Commuter Benefits: state maintained road is known for traffic jams and crashes, and two roundabouts reduces the likelihood of crashes while also allowing traffic to flow smoother through this part of Manchester
The proposed improvements will include the installation of two modern roundabouts improving/normalizing traffic operations while also addressing concerns with vehicular, pedestrian, and bicyclist safety along Route 83, Oakland Street, and various intersecting local roadways within the project limits.
Total Estimated Project Cost; $90-160 Million
Commuter Benefits: Savings of an estimated 22 minutes per day for drivers, Reduced Congestion, No more stopping short from a free flow of traffic
The purpose of this project is to improve safety by reconfiguring the Route 17 northbound and Route 9 northbound interchange to provide a full-length acceleration lane in order to reduce rear end crashes. Additionally, this project will reduce congestion, improve safety, and improve access to downtown Middletown by removing two existing traffic signals on Route 9.
Total Estimated Cost: $24-38 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improves access south to New London, modernizing the road with a relocated intersection, new traffic signals, turn lanes, and widened shoulders.
CT 85 is another example of an intersection built for a different era. A redesigned road with a new intersection, moved from its current position, combined with wider shoulders, new turn lanes, and new traffic signals, will improve speeds and access to points south like New London.
Total Estimated Project Cost $40-$55 Million
Commuter Benefits: Safety through less stop and go traffic, Improved Exit Access
Safety along Connecticut’s roadways is an absolute priority in CT2030. Parents driving SUVs and minivans should not have to worry that the very design of an exit ramp or a highway is what could lead to a car crash. In CT2030, exit 59 in New Haven and Woodbridge is upgraded, with longer ramps for acceleration, decreasing the likelihood of accidents. In the past, the exit ramps would average more than 400 accidents a year, but in CT2030 that figure is reduced due to better engineering and design. By changing the design of the ramps, it allows vehicles to maintain their rates of speed, which will reduce the amount of congestion. These kinds of improvements serve both goals of improving safety.
Total Estimated Cost: $6.5-7 Million
Commuter Benefits: Makes traffic signal improvements by using modern technology, decreasing the cost of future maintenance, and allowing for faster improvements
This project includes the upgrading of fifteen (15) state-owned traffic signals to be included in a Computerized Traffic Signal System (CTSS). These traffic signals are located on Route 175 in Newington and Wethersfield, S. R. 505 (Fenn Road ) in Newington and Ella Grasso Boulevard in New Britain at the on-ramp to Route 9. The upgrades include new traffic signal control cabinets, steel span poles, signals heads, and related equipment and are designed to be more reactive to the changing flow of traffic than outdated traffic signal equipment, moving cars more efficiently along this busy roadway.
Total Estimated Cost: $70-75 Million
Commuter Benefits: Better traffic flow means it’s easier for students and staff to get to CCSU, and to access New Britain and Newington
The Route 9 Northbound Off-ramp to Route 175 is currently a single-lane off-ramp that opens to multiple lanes. This ramp services the growing CCSU community as well as providing access to Route 9 from one of the significant east/west connectors in the area (Route 175). By making ramp improvements and upgrading the existing roadway capacity along Route 175, congestion will be decreased, safety improved, and mobility throughout the overall area will improve.
Total Estimated Cost: $19-22 Million
Commuter Benefits: Decreased congestion and a safer roadway due to a longer acceleration and deceleration lane
Exits up and down Route 15 from Greenwich up through central Connecticut were not designed with modern traffic in mind, and that has led to safety risks and congestion that prevents efficient traffic flow, increases travel time, and has made it uncertain as to how long it will take to reach your destination. This project will construct sufficient acceleration and deceleration lanes to allow traffic to flow more smoothly. Improvements to the intersection of the Exit 62 ramps and Dixwell Avenue are also included to improve congestion along this busy highway.
Total Estimated Cost: $60-65 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improves congestion and increases safety by addressing long overdue maintenance on this stretch of road
Route 7 in Norwalk and Wilton has seen deferred maintenance for years, and that lack of investment has finally caught up to this section of roadway. Road and engineering improvements will address the existing issues with congestion.
Total Estimated Cost: $8-10 Million
Commuter Benefits: Lowers a highway and increases the ability for drivers to get through the area
A lowered highway will actually make it easier for drivers to pass through East Avenue. As a busy roadway, if drivers can get through this section faster, that will improve speeds elsewhere in Norwalk.
Total Project Estimated Cost: $160-$200 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improved Exit Access, Route Optionality, Reduced Congestion
Lower Fairfield County will be a pillar for growth, commerce, and livability in CT2030. For the first time, the northbound Merritt Parkway will connect with both directions of Route 7. Additionally, Northbound Route 7 will connect with the Northbound Merritt Parkway, as well as Southbound Route 7 connecting with the Southbound Merritt Parkway. The upgrades to this system of roads and highways will lead to better access for pedestrians on local roads, bicyclists, and users of mass transit. Connecting these main roads will improve the flow of traffic, exchanging a longtime aggravating interchange for a better flow of traffic.
Total Estimated Cost: $20-24 Million
Commuter Benefits: Safety improvements with an extra turn lane leads to fewer crashes and a repaired bridge, decreased congestion with an added lane that improves travel time and reliability.
US 1 is known as one of the roads to avoid in parts of Connecticut because of constant stop-and-go traffic and delays. Improved design for modern vehicles and increased vehicle capacity will lead to traffic flow improvements. Adding turn lanes will improve the speed of traffic, lead to fewer cars stopped in traffic, and make for a better driving experience in Orange.
Total Estimated Cost: $60-65 Million
Commuter Benefits: Improves ability for freight to travel across, meaning it’s better for commerce
The primary purpose of this project is to provide a crossing of Route 34 over the Housatonic River that is in good condition. It will improve freight on the dam and will remove the current posting restrictions. The existing bridge is 100 years old and is considered to be in poor condition.
Total Estimated Cost: $70 Million
Commuter Benefits: Many exits on Route 15 were not designed for modern traffic and vehicles and they need longer deceleration and acceleration lanes
Exits up and down Route 15 from Greenwich up through central Connecticut were not designed with modern traffic in mind, and that has led to safety risks and congestion that prevents efficient traffic flow, increases travel time, and has made it uncertain as to how long it will take to reach your destination. CT2030 takes a hard look at which exits need to be upgraded and made safer in the short term so drivers can see the benefits as soon as possible.
Total Estimated Cost: $6-7 Million
Commuter Benefits: Wider roadway means a safer roadway and improved turn lanes
This section of CT 67 wasn’t designed with modern development or large SUVs in mind. The wider roadway will have room for turning lanes at the traffic signals making travel quicker, more reliable, and an overall better experience for drivers.
Total Estimated Cost: $9-10 Million
Commuter Benefits: The removal of the bridge improves traffic flow, and rebuilding the intersection makes the area easier for drivers, reducing congestion and the number of crashes.
As more cars are on the roads than ever before, designs of the past no longer make sense today. In this case, the bridge and intersection on CT 10 in Southington are outdated. Removing the bridge and modernizing the intersection will improve the flow of traffic through Southington and lead to fewer crashes.
Total Estimated Cost: $37 Million
Commuter Benefits: Helps the state toward its greenhouse gas reduction targets
This is a fund that helps with incremental congestion and air quality improvements across the state. They can be used on local roads or on sections of highway where some investment could lead to better air quality.
Total Estimated Cost: $95 Million
Commuter Benefit: Identifies Problem Intersections Around the State and Targets Resources to Improve Them, Leads to Safety an Reliability Upgrades
The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program with the purpose of achieving a significant reduction in fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State-owned public roads and roads on tribal lands. (23 U.S.C. 148(b)). This program is performance based and CT risks being penalized if the performance targets are not met. The Department actively collects and compiles crash data for the purpose identifying problematic conditions. The identification of locations displaying higher than expected crash rates on the state highway system are then evaluated and programmed for improvement. The Statewide Safety Projects will provide funding for safety improvement projects, addressing the hazardous elements identified at specific intersections or roadway segments.
Total Estimated Cost: $75-110 Million
Commuter Benefits: State supported intersection and safety improvements across Connecticut, aimed at making routine adjustments and improvements that lead to reduced congestion and faster speeds for drivers.
These enhancement projects range from localized intersection improvements to increase safety or address capacity concerns, to small corridor improvement projects that provide consistency and will improve safety for the drivers who use these roadways every day. With CT2030, this allows for those projects to be identified and subsequently addressed.
Total Estimated Cost: $16 Million
Commuter Benefits: Basic improvements that go a long way like upgraded guard rails, paving, resurfacing, and other maintenance
This program contributes to Connecticut’s State of Good Repair improvements around the state providing necessary improvements to roadways.
Total Estimated Cost: $500 Million
Commuter Benefits: Updated technology will allow the state to make changes on the fly to stalled or broken traffic signals. Connecticut DOT owns more traffic signals than any other New England state, and more than all other states in the region, combined. Much of the maintenance has been ignored on these for decades and these improvements modernize the entire system.
Traffic signal technology has significantly advanced in recent years, as Connecticut is relying on technology from decades ago to manage a statewide network of traffic signals. When a light is broken, stuck on yellow, or staying red for too long not allowing cars to flow smoothly, in most instances the only way CTDOT is informed about the issue is from a driver calling in the issue to local authorities. With cloud enabled technology, CTDOT can monitor and respond to issues with traffic signals around the state. These improvements will lead to more reliability throughout the state of Connecticut, and fewer frustrations for drivers.
Total Estimated Cost: $6.5-7 Million
Commuter Benefits: This notoriously congested section of Route 1 sees modern intersections which make the road more manageable for drivers, increasing speeds and reducing congestion
Throughout parts of Connecticut, US 1 is known as one of the roads to avoid because of constant stop- and-go traffic and delays. Improved design for modern vehicles and increased vehicle capacity will lead to improved traffic flow. In Westport, multiple intersections need to be upgraded to improve both safety and congestion. These improvements will make travelling on this busy roadway less frustrating for drivers.
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Total Estimated Project Cost: $140-$220 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability, Fewer Crashes
CT2030 looks in the rearview mirror at spots on this major highway that were once massive traffic and safety problems. The section between Exits 74 and 75 in East Lyme is one of those sections that is now a thing of the past. Gone are the days of higher than normal crash rates, and the I-95 Bridge over CT-161 is replaced and upgraded, widening the clearances making it safer for trucks hauling essential cargo to make it through without issue. These improvements reduce issues on the roadway, and make it even more convenient for drivers.
Total Estimated Cost: $12.9 Million
Commuter Benefits: Safety & Reliability
There are bridges across Connecticut that have not seen upgrades or renovations in decades and CT2030 addresses that issue head-on. This bridge on I-684 is maintained by CTDOT and is in need of State of Good Repair improvements. Improving this bridge will make traveling through Connecticut on this busy highway safer for all drivers.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $300-$330 Million
Commuter Benefit: Reduced Congestion, Safety & Reliability, Fewer Crashes
In CT2030, drivers no longer dread merging on I-91 at the Charter Oak Bridge. Improvements in Hartford make the entire region easier to traverse, decreasing a well-known bottleneck to the south of the Capital City, increasing speeds for drivers, reducing congestion, and improving access to surrounding cities and towns. This project adds a second lane to Exit 29, an additional lane from Exits 27 to 29, and an additional lane on Rt. 15, and extends the existing noise wall. A more accessible Charter Oak Bridge means more reliable travel times and a steep decrease in delays on one of the state’s busiest stretches of highway.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $300 – $415 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability, Freight Enhancement, Fewer Short-term Construction Delays
The Gold Star Bridge is one of the most important spans in Connecticut. The Gold Star Bridge connects communities, vital employers, institutions of higher education, even a strategic military installation. In CT2030, the Gold Star Bridge is a state of the art crossing with modern safety features, upgrades, and traffic flows better than ever before. Enhancements will lead to fewer heavy trucks on local roads, enabling full access to the bridge, which is safer than ever. A safer bridge leads to more reliable travel times with less and less maintenance being conducted on the span of an annual basis.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $70 Million to $110 Million
Commuter Benefit: Driver Safety and Reliability, and Freight Enhancement
This project is one of the essential elements to make sure CT2030 not only provides a prosperous future, but a safe one for Connecticut drivers. The reconstruction of this Newtown crossing will make driving safer and even more manageable during the winter months with an upgraded structure and repaved surface.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $70-130 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability
In CT2030, ensuring highways and bridges are functioning at their highest potential will be paramount to ensuring that investments in Connecticut’s infrastructure pay off. Widening the inside and outside shoulders of this section I-95 will work toward that purpose. This investment will also enhance the safety features on this busy highway, making it a safer and more reliable roadway. The total replacement of the bridge carrying I-95 over Route 33 will help the improvements remain viable for years to come.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $15-$20 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability
CT2030 will address safety and congestion in unprecedented ways across all sections of the I-395 corridor – a focus that includes the I-395 bridge in Plainfield that crosses the Moosup River. Improvements to this bridge will bring the structure back into a state of good repair. A new deck with improved drainage and wider shoulders will improve the riding surface for safer travel.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $20-$25 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability, More Reliable Travel Times due to Fewer Construction Delays
CT2030 provides a vision and a future that is not just time-focused, but also safety-focused. The I-95 bridge over Metro-North in Stamford is in need of routine, but costly repairs to ensure the bridge’s safety and accessibility in future years. These kinds of improvements increase confidence in the stability of the state’s overall infrastructure. Investing in the large-scale improvements needed to rehabilitate the bridge will minimize the need to make more frequent repairs. This investment pays for itself with fewer construction delays in the future, leading to a more reliable commute for drivers.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $235-$260 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability, and Freight Enhancement
The Mixmaster in Waterbury, where Interstate 84 merges with multiple ramps to connect with Route 8 and local Waterbury roads, is in need of a reboot. In CT2030, the Mixmaster bridges will be strengthened to be able to carry modern loads. This will improve commerce in the area by reducing travel time for trucks that are currently not allowed on the Mixmaster. This project is a necessary first step towards replacing the aging and outdated interchange by reducing congestion.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $20-35 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability
When looking at how Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley fit into the state’s economic development landscape, the opportunity that the region represents needs to be embraced in CT2030. That means all of the critical infrastructure in the region that connects Waterbury to points North and South has to be upgraded for both safety and accessibility. Maintaining the bridges in a State of Good Repair South of Waterbury is important for the safety of Connecticut drivers heading both North and South on the corridor. Safer bridges lead to fewer construction delays for minor repairs which will lead to smoother driving throughout the Waterbury area.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $75-110 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety and Reduced Rush Hour Congestion
CT2030 isn’t just about providing better options through larger cities, but about making sure the routes on each side of those cities are accessible, as well. Lanes on I-84 in West Hartford weave and turn, leading to more congestion and crashes. Like every major road in Connecticut, I-84 in West Hartford is seeing a significantly higher volume of cars on the road than the highway was designed to handle. In CT2030, connecting the on- and off-ramps between New Britain Avenue and South Main Street (Exits 40-41), and replacing the crossing over Berkshire Road will enhance safety for entering and exiting drivers. An added lane between Park Road and Route 9 will also ease congestion, especially during peak travel periods. These improvements will lead to less traffic, making commute times more reliable in and out one of the busiest sections of highway in the Hartford area.
Total Estimated Project Cost: $59-69 Million
Commuter Benefits: Driver Safety & Reliability, Reduced Congestion, Improved Exit Access
In CT2030, all modes of transportation will be designed to complement each other, including the way safety intersects the different segments of Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure. This project achieves two goals of CT2030: safety and reliability. This project will also address deficiencies associated with Exit 43 driving southbound, meaning the combination of a new bridge that will not only make the crossing safer, but ease congestion. As updates and enhancements are made to Metro-North, safety improvements remain essential on the roads that cross over the state’s railroad tracks.