3. Planned or Ongoing Highway Improvements Along I-95 and Other State Roads:
   
   
   • Greater Bridgeport Region

   • Southwestern Connecticut

   • Route 15 (Merritt Parkway)

Safe and efficient highway and transit transportation, especially in the heavily-traveled Southwest Corridor of our state, are essential to Connecticut's economic and environmental well-being. We must constantly upgrade and modernize these systems in order to enhance Connecticut's reputation as an attractive state in which to live and do business. This requires that we prudently invest in our future and in our children's future. It is imperative that we maintain and improve these services and facilities. We must never return to those days that led to the deterioration in our transportation infrastructure and the tragic Mianus River Bridge collapse that occurred in 1983.

To carry out this commitment, the state Department of Transportation has underway or in the planning/design process an estimated $1.5 billion worth of improvement projects that will enhance travel in the Southwest Corridor. Approximately 40 percent of this amount is to be used for transit projects which will improve rail travel as an alternative to single-occupant vehicles on our highways.

We are concerned with the impact these improvements will have on the daily travel of our residents and businesses. The state Department of Transportation will continue to make concerted efforts to minimize the effect of the work, but we also feel it is important that we reach out and inform residents and businesses about the work in progress and plans for future projects.

This brochure is designed to provide you with a brief description of the projects and their time schedules. Following are highlights of the program for modernizing our highways, bridge and transit systems:

• a six-year, $360 million federal- and state-funded renovation program for Bridgeport's bridges which span I-95 between Exits 25 and 29, beginning in 1996;
• a four-year, $100 million railroad improvement project in Stamford, the busiest railroad station in Connecticut;
• the construction of Exit and entrance ramps on Route 7 in Norwalk to connect with Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) and the extension of Route 7 northward;
• ramp reconstruction at various interchanges along both I-95 and Route 15 in Norwalk, Westport/Weston, Fairfield and Trumbull to facilitate traffic flow and improve safety more efficiently;
• traffic signal improvements and the addition of left turn lanes to more than 400 intersections along Route 1 from Greenwich through Branford. These improvements are designed to expedite traffic on the Post Road as an alternative to use of I-95 by motorists.

Although I-95 was built to different standards than what exist today, and even with monetary, environmental and land use constraints, the expressway can be made safer and more efficient. That is the goal of transportation, public safety and administration officials. I urge you to keep this in mind the next time you drive through one of the highway construction zones.

I invite you to join in our effort to alleviate highway congestion and clean our air by using public transit or by ride sharing. For more information about the rails, contact Metro-North, toll-free, at 1-800-METRO-INFO. For potential ride share matches in New Haven County, contact Rideworks, toll-free, at 1-800-ALL-RIDE; in Fairfield County, call MetroPool at 1-800-FIND-RIDE.

I wish you safe travels.

Sincerely,

John G. Rowland

• Final Design: Completed
• Est. Cost: $105 million
• Est. Completion: 2001

• Final Design: Completed
• Est. Cost: $7 million
• Est. Completion: 1999

• ADA Under Construction
• ADA Est. Cost: $1.6 million
• ADA Est. Completion: Fall-Winter 1996
• Est. Rehab. Design Completion: Mid-1996
• Est. Rehab. Const. Cost: $3 million
• Est. Rehab. Const. Completion: 1998

  These improvements will bring the station into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and will enhance passenger comfort, accessibility and security.

• Under Construction in 1996
• Est. Cost: $13 million
• Est. Completion: 1998

  This action will maintain the reliability of the electric power delivery system which will improve service reliability.

• Being Designed in 1996
• Est. Cost: $6 million (design)
• Est. Cost: $30 million (construction)
• Est. Completion: 2002

This will improve the reliability of the electric power delivery system.

• Under Construction in 1996
• Est. Cost: $45 million
• Est. Completion: 1996

This will improve the efficiency of equipment maintenance and overnight storage, improving service reliability.

• Final Design: 1997
• Est. Cost: $16 million
• Est. Completion: 2000

This expansion will provide additional parking for rail passengers to increase usage of Metro-North and Amtrak trains.

• Final Design: 1996
• Est. Cost: $100 million
• Est. Completion: 2001

This will double the station's platform capacity, allowing four through trains, instead of only two, to simultaneously board/deboard passangers. This will also provide the flexibilty to add additional rail services (commuter intrastate, commuter interstate, future Amtrak high speed, improved Amtrak conventional). Replacement of the railroad bridge over Washington Boulevard will improve traffic flow.

• Undergoing Final Construction Modification
• Est. Cost: $122 million
• Est. Completion: 1996

Final triplet to be in service in the spring of 1996. With these cars, the current electric fleet will handle projected needs through 2005. In January of 1996, 42 of these cars (+/-115 seats per car) were available for service.

• Trumbull/Stratford/Shelton - Route 8 resurfacing and bridge and safety improvements from Route 127 in Trumbull to Long Hill Avenue in Shelton
  • Est. Cost: $11.6 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• *Bridgeport/Trumbull - Routes 8 and 25 resurfacing and bridge and safety improvements from Capitol Avenue in Bridgeport to Route 127 in Trumbull
  • Est. Cost: $8 million
  • Est. Completion: 1998

• *Stratford - I-95 reconstruction of the median and expansion of the shoulders
  • Est. Cost: $11 million
  • Est. Completion: 1998

• Bridgeport/Stratford - Reconstruction of the I-95 median and expansion of the shoulders
  • Est. Cost: $5 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• *Bridgeport - Widen Seaview Avenue to four lanes
  • Est. Cost: $5 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• *Bridgeport - Stratford Avenue (Route 130) bridge replacement over the Yellow Mill Channel (Exit 29)
  • Est. Cost: $16.3 million
  • Est. Completion: 1998

• Bridgeport - I-95 reconstruction at the Routes 8 and 25 interchange and addition of an operational lane between Exits 25 & 29
  • Est. Cost: $348.6 million
  • Est. Completion: 2002

• *Bridgeport - Replacement of the East Washington Avenue bridge over the Pequonnock River
  • Est. Cost: $15 million
  • Est. Completion: 1998

• Fairfield - Reconstruction of the I-95 interchange at U.S. Route 1 and Exit 24
  • Est. Cost: $26 million
  • Est. Completion: 2000

• *Fairfield - Reconstruction of the median on I-95 and expansion of the shoulders
  • Est. Cost: $18 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• *Westport - Reconstruction of the bridge carrying I-95 over the Saugatuck River
  • Est. Cost: $29 million
  • Est. Completion: 1996

• *Westport - I-95 reconstruction of the median and expansion of the shoulders
  • Est. Cost: $8 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• *Westport/Weston - Local bridge replacements along Route 57 over the Aspetuck and Saugatuck Rivers
  • Est. Cost: $2.8 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• *Wilton - Major roadway widening of Route 7 between Wolf Pit Road and Route 33
  • Est. Cost: $10.5 million
  • Est. Completion: 2000

• Wilton - Reconstruction of Route 7 between Danbury and Olmstead Hill Roads
  • Est. Cost: $8 million
  • Est. Completion: 2000

• *Wilton - Replacement of two local bridges, Wolf Pit Road over the Norwalk River and Wolf Pit Road over Metro-North
  • Est. Cost: $4.2 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• Norwalk - Construction of turn lanes at the ramp at Exit 16
  • Est. Cost: $5 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• Norwalk - Revise access at Route 1 and I-95 by Exit 14
  • Est. Cost: $10 million
  • Est. Completion: 2000

• *Stamford/Darien - Add a southbound operational lane between Exits 10 and 8
  • Est. Cost: $39 million
  • Est. Completion: 1998

• *Darien - I-95 reconstruction of the median and expansion of the shoulders
  • Est. Cost: $24 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• Greenwich - Replacement of the bridge carrying I-95 over Metro-North at the Cos Cob Railroad Station
  • Est. Cost: $12 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• *Greenwich - Resurfacing on I-95 from the NY state line to Exit 3, and bridge deck replacement
  • Est. Cost: $18 million
  • Est. Completion: 1996

• Greenwich to New Haven - More than 400 intersections are being redesigned and computerized to handle traffic flow on Route 1 and on exit ramps from I-95; also, left turn lanes are being designed and constructed to expedite traffic flow
  • Est. Cost: $12 million
  • Est. Duration: 1996-2000 (Various start dates)

• I-95 Incident Management System - Monitors traffic operations along 56 miles of I-95 twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week
  • Est. Cost: $26 million
  • Est. Completion: Operational

• Milford/Stratford - Bridge restoration over the Housatonic River (known as the "Sikorsky Bridge")
  • Est. Cost: $84 million
  • Est. Completion: 2004

• *Stratford - Bridge restoration on Route 15 over Route 110
  • Est. Cost: $3.9 million
  • Est. Completion: 1998

• Trumbull - Replacement of the Routes 15 and 111 Interchange
  • Est. Cost: $9.1 million
  • Est. Completion: 2000

• Fairfield/Stratford/Trumbull - Resurfacing, safety and bridge improvements from Morehouse Highway to the Housatonic River
  • Est Cost: $16.3 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• *Fairfield - Reconstruction of Exit 45
  • Est Cost: $4.6 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• *Westport/Fairfield - Resurfacing of the southbound side of Route 15, safety and bridge improvements between Route 33 (Exit 41) and the Congress Street Overpass
  • Est Cost: $2.5 million
  • Est. Completion: 1999

• Norwalk - Upgrade of Routes 7 and 15 to full interchange with the Meritt Parkway
  • Est Cost: $60 million
  • Est. Completion: 2000

• Stamford - Revise the interchange ramps on Route 15 at Route 104 (Exit 34)
  • Est Cost: $5.1 million
  • Est. Completion: 2001

• *Greenwich - Bridge restoration over the west branch of the Byram River
  • Est Cost: $1.6 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997

• *Greenwich - Resurfacing, safety and aesthetic improvements from the New York state line to the vicinity of the west branch of the Byram River
  • Est Cost: $3.9 million
  • Est. Completion: 1997
  
  
  *Denotes ongoing projects or those expected to begin in 1996; unless noted, projects scheduled to begin after 1996