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Q U E S T I O N S  a n d   A N S W E R S  
about The I-95 Bridgeport Reconstruction Program



 1. What is the I-95 Bridgeport Reconstruction Program?
The I-95 Bridgeport Reconstruction Program is made up of five major projects which together will rebuild the nearly two dozen bridges that carry the interstate highway through Bridgeport. In the process, the highway itself will be rebuilt throughout the city, with a number of improvements designed to increase safety and optimize traffic flow.

2. What are the five projects?
The five projects are color-coded as follows:

Slate
Reconstruction of the I-95 bridge over Yellow Mill Channel and of Interchange 29, where Connecticut, Seaview and Stratford avenues meet the highway. This project is underway and scheduled to be completed in the fall of 1999.

Pink
Reconstruction of I-95 between Warren Street and Yellow Mill Channel, including all or portions of the bridge over Bridgeport Harbor and four other bridges. This project is scheduled to begin in the fall of 1999 and be completed in 2004.

Green
Construction of new highway and bridges between Warren Street and East Main Street. The new highway and bridges are needed to accommodate shoulders along this section of the interstate (see Question #7) and to maintain the highway's normal three-lane capacity while construction proceeds. This project is underway and scheduled to be completed in the fall of 1999.

Orange
Reconstruction of I-95 between Wordin Avenue and Warren Street, including eight bridges and the loop ramp between the Route 8/25 Connector and I-95 northbound. This project is underway and scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2003.

Blue
Reconstruction of I-95 between the Fairfield town line and Wordin Avenue, including nine bridges. This project is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2000 and be completed in 2003.

3. How much will the program cost?
Approximately $400 million.

4. Where is the money coming from?
The funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, with the long range transportation planning guidance of the Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency.

5. How long is it going to take?
Eight years. The "Slate" project began in 1996. The "Pink" project has the last scheduled completion date, 2004.

6. Why will it take so long?
Two reasons: First, nearly all of I-95 through Bridgeport, almost three miles, is elevated on 22 bridges and on structures between them. It takes far longer to rebuild bridges than a highway that is on the ground.

Second, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is committed to keeping I-95 open throughout the Program, and to restricting traffic to fewer than the highway's normal three lanes in each direction only during off-peak hours. If the highway could be shut down completely, it could be rebuilt in far less time. But that would force most highway traffic onto city streets, and that would be bad for everyone - not only highway travelers, but city residents and workers, whose quality of life would suffer.

7. What improvements are being made to the highway?
The new bridges, replacing the original ones built in the 1950s, will incorporate today's engineering technology and standards.

Ramp improvements will be made where I-95 meets Fairfield Avenue (Interchange 25); Wordin Avenue (Interchange 26); Route 8/25 and Myrtle Avenue (Interchanges 27 & 27A); East Main Street (Interchange 28); and Connecticut, Seaview and Stratford avenues (Interchange 29).

Full shoulders will be included on the left and the right sides of the highway in both directions. These breakdown lanes, as they sometimes are called, give emergency vehicles ready access to incidents on the highway and provide an area where motorists involved in vehicle breakdowns or minor accidents can move out of the highway's travel lanes, helping restore normal traffic conditions as quickly as possible.

Operational lanes will be added between Exits 25 & 27A. These extra right-hand lanes for short-distance highway travel help reduce delays that can be caused by slower moving traffic entering or exiting the highway. With new northbound and southbound operational lanes between the Route 8/25 Connector and Fairfield Avenue added to the existing ones between the Connector and Seaview Avenue, the new I-95 will feature operational lanes in both directions for nearly the entire length of the city, increasing the operational efficiency of the highway.

8. Are any other improvements being made?
Exit 29, where Connecticut, Seaview and Stratford avenues meet I-95, is being reconfigured to improve traffic flow and safety. Under the previous configuration, Connecticut, Seaview and Stratford avenues met at a rotary under the highway. The new interchange, scheduled to be one of the first features of the Reconstruction Program to be completed, will be a modern, signalized intersection, complete with turning lanes to optimize traffic flow.

9. What will the Reconstruction Program's impacts be during construction?
The Department of Transportation is committed to minimizing traffic disruptions and other public impacts of the I-95 Bridgeport Reconstruction Program, but certain temporary traffic restrictions, detours and alternate routes will be required on the highway and nearby city streets to allow some construction operations to be performed safely.

Most of these restrictions will be limited to off-peak travel times, such as overnights. For example, the ramps between I-95 northbound and the Route 8/25 Connector will be closed at night from time to time to allow the bridges that support those ramps to be rebuilt. Detour routes to bypass closed ramp will be posted, and news releases are issued to announce specific dates and times of these closures and similar impacts. (If you'd like to sign up to receive these releases by fax, see Question #11 below.)

The Program also will require a few long-term traffic restrictions. Again, alternate routes will be posted and the restrictions will be announced in advance. Here are some of these major aspects of the Program to be aware of as it proceeds:
  • Temporary entrance and exit ramp changes: Certain ramps will have to be closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week while reconstruction work is proceeding. Affected ramps include I-95 northbound Exit 27 (for Lafayette Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue); I-95 northbound Exit 29 (for the East End, Stratford Avenue and Seaview Avenue); and the entrance ramp from Myrtle Avenue to I-95 southbound.

  • Alternate access to the Bridgeport Port Authority ferry terminal: An alternate access road from Broad Street is in place while the main entrance from Water Street just south of the railroad station is open to pedestrians only.

  • Parking: Some parking areas under I-95 must be closed. A section of Water Street will be closed to create a replacement parking lot.

  • Partial closure of Exit 28: The Pembroke Street ramps from I-95 southbound and to I-95 northbound have been closed permanently; motorists should use Interchange 29, a short distance east on Stratford Avenue, instead. (The East Main Street ramps from I-95 northbound and to I-95 southbound, will not be eliminated, although a temporary ramp from I-95 northbound to Pembroke Street will take the place of the Exit 28 ramp to East Main Street during a portion of the Reconstruction Program.)

  • 45 miles per hour speed limit: To protect the safety of the public as well as construction workers on the job, a speed limit of 45 miles per hour is in effect on I-95 throughout Bridgeport for the duration of the Reconstruction Program. With some work zones located only inches from highway traffic, motorists can help promote safety by proceeding with caution and by complying with this special speed limit.

10. What can I do to avoid these impacts?
The best way to avoid any disruption is to seek out alternatives.

Planning: Stay informed about the Program, and plan your travel accordingly. (See Question #11 for more on how to stay informed.) Avoid the highway during peak travel times, such as rush hours.

Use transit: Whenever possible, use trains, buses or ferries. Doing so will not only help reduce traffic congestion, but also provide a healthy, cost-saving, environmentally friendly transportation alternative.

For train information, contact MTA Metro-North Railroad at (800) METRO INFO, or on the Internet at www.mta.nyc.ny.us.

For Greater Bridgeport bus information, contact the Greater Bridgeport Transit District at (203) 333-3031.

For ferry information, contact the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company at (888) 44-FERRY. (In New York, call (516) 473-0286).

Pool it: Car and van pools are excellent, cost-effective ways to reduce highway congestion and contribute to a smoother flow of traffic. To explore your commute options, contact MetroPool. (See Question #11.)

Other alternatives: Try walking or biking to work, or look into telecommuting

11. How can I make sure I'm getting the latest information?
Contact MetroPool by phone, mail or e-mail for any of the following:
  • A brochure featuring a color-coded map of the I-95 Bridgeport Reconstruction Program.

  • An 11-minute video outlining the Reconstruction Program.

  • A mailing list to receive newsletters and other informational materials about the Reconstruction Program as they become available.

  • A fax list to receive news releases with detailed information about specific traffic restrictions and other public impacts of the Program. Where applicable, news releases include detour routes to bypass traffic restrictions and a locator map outlining the area of the impact.

  • A presentation for your company, community group, civic organization, etc. by a member of the Reconstruction Program staff
    To contact MetroPool:
  • Call 1-800-FIND RIDE. (In the local Stamford calling area, please call 324-6700.)
  • Send e-mail
  • Write to MetroPool at: One Landmark Square, Stamford, CT 06901.

A message from Mark Rolfe, Supervising Engineer
A message from Mark Rolfe, the Connecticut Department of Transportation's Supervising Engineer for the I-95 Bridgeport Reconstruction Program. Rolfe's 14-year career with the Department has included two other major I-95 bridge reconstruction projects: the Michael L. Morano Bridge over the Mianus River in Greenwich and the bridge over the Saugatuck River in Westport:
"Reconstructing 22 bridges and almost three miles of I-95 while maintaining average daily traffic of 130,000 vehicles is especially challenging. We realize that our construction will impact traffic to some degree. We ask for everyone's patience so that we can complete our work safely and as quickly as possible."

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