Connecticut News

[Mergingtraffic]

Before the current i84Hartford.com website was made there were a series of meetings at the Council of Governments level.  The blvd with stoplights (ala Route 34 New Haven) was considered.  But they dropped because it wouldn't work.  obv. 

So I would hope nobody would waste any more time on the issue going forward at these meetings. 

People think "hey let's go back to 1930 before interstates were built and there will be no traffic."  That's why interstates were built in the first place, b/c the US-44s and the US-1s were choked with traffic even then.

**************
Although I would love to see the proposed Waterbury stack interchange of I-84 and CT-8 come to fruition.
and
the US-7/Merritt interchange completed.  I talked to the DOT and it's on the back burner now.  No funding.  You can thank the Merritt Pkwy Conservancy for that as they stopped the project after it already began!

[KEVIN_224]

One geotechnical issue w/any tunnel proposal out there is the cost of removal/disposal of any contaminated soil found on the site.

If memory serves, wasn't the aborted New England Patriots sports stadium proposal from over 15 years ago planned to be built nearby this I-84 corridor? 

Back when Patriots owner Robert Craft was proposing a new stadium for his team in Hartford in the mid-to-late 1990s; the one item that ultimately sank that whole relocation deal in 1998 stemmed from the estimated cost to remove the contaminated soil.  It was high enough to be a deal-breaker and the rest is history; the Patriots stayed in Foxboro, MA and moved to the then-brand new Gillette Stadium in 2002.

History could possibly repeat itself here.

I thought it was simply that d-bag Kraft using Connecticut as bait, to get leverage out of Massachusetts for today's Gillette Stadium? 

Some of that site today has the Connecticut Convention Center on it.

There's also no way the Whitehead-Conlon Highway could've handled traffic into the stadium, had it been built. Imagine what the backup onto I-91 would've looked like! 

[iwishiwascanadian]

I know that many people are still opposed to the CTfastrak project but I think that the busway will get heavy usage once ConnDOT figures out what the plan is for 84 through Hartford.  I don't see any way that 175,000 vehicles could get through the construction.  Hopefully ConnDOT will market the busway for commuters as a viable alternative to 84. 

[NE2]

I-84 should be moved to I-691, at least temporarily during construction.

[iwishiwascanadian]

I-84 should be moved to I-691, at least temporarily during construction.

Traffic already backs up on 91 North at the ramp onto the Charter Oak Bridge.  If the state does pursue making I-691/I-91/CT-15 as a detour, they will have to find some way to widen the ramp or try to use the Putnam Bridge to Route 2 to 84.  I feel that this project will exacerbate the problem that Greater Hartford residents already recognize.  There aren't many efficient ways to get across the metro area. 

[NE2]

If the state does pursue making I-691/I-91/CT-15 as a detour, they will have to find some way to widen the ramp or try to use the Putnam Bridge to Route 2 to 84.

One-overpass method:

[jp the roadgeek]

Personally, I would go with the viaduct upgrade and exit ramp reconfiguration (eliminating the left lane exits and consolidating some of those close-together exit ramps).  A tunnel option, while more aesthetically pleasing, has the potential of turning into another time-consuming, Big Dig-like, boondoggle money-pit.

But the CT Legislature has NEVER met a boondoggle pork project it didn't like.  But wouldn't completing the abandoned I-291 from the stack in Farmington alleviate a lot of through traffic bound for east of Hartford.  Not only could it serve as a bypass of Downtown Hartford and connect back to I-84 in Manchester, it could serve as a shortcut to Bradley.  Renumber the whole highway I-284 because it connects 2 segments of I-84.  Now if the Middletown Traffic lights were ever eliminated on CT 9, it could become an x95 3DI from Old Saybrook to Manchester.

[iwishiwascanadian]

Personally, I would go with the viaduct upgrade and exit ramp reconfiguration (eliminating the left lane exits and consolidating some of those close-together exit ramps).  A tunnel option, while more aesthetically pleasing, has the potential of turning into another time-consuming, Big Dig-like, boondoggle money-pit.

But the CT Legislature has NEVER met a boondoggle pork project it didn't like.  But wouldn't completing the abandoned I-291 from the stack in Farmington alleviate a lot of through traffic bound for east of Hartford.  Not only could it serve as a bypass of Downtown Hartford and connect back to I-84 in Manchester, it could serve as a shortcut to Bradley.  Renumber the whole highway I-284 because it connects 2 segments of I-84.  Now if the Middletown Traffic lights were ever eliminated on CT 9, it could become an x95 3DI from Old Saybrook to Manchester.

I've dreamt of I-291 at least getting constructed to the Farmington Stack but the chances of that happening are as high as the possibility of the state tolling the reconstructed 84 through Hartford.  The amount of NIMBYs that live along the route as well as the environmental concerns of building so close to the reservoirs have killed the project and have kept the project dead.  The state did 4-lane Route 218 from Route 159 in Windsor to the Cigna complex in Bloomfield which is a compromise for the cancelled 291 project but Route 218 is often congested at rush hour between local traffic and employees trying to get to work at Cigna.  This might be getting into new thread territory but the state should seriously considering doing some grade separation of Route 218 or getting rapid transit along the Griffin Line and further north to Bradley.  Northwest Hartford and its suburbs have horrid transit/road connections to anything south of 84.

[Mergingtraffic]

East of Hartford I-84 works fine because there are ample lanes and bypasses. I-291 to the North and CT-15 to the south. 

West of Hartford there's none of that.  The only widening would be an aux lane between Exits 40-42.  That's it! unfortunately.

***
Roundabout news in Salem:
http://www.theday.com/article/20140106/NWS01/301069975/0/SEARCH

Here's a map:
https://www.google.com/maps?q=salem,+ct&hl=en&ll=41.476428,-72.264193&spn=0.001312,0.002851&sll=41.500765,-72.757507&sspn=1.34323,1.886902&hnear=Salem,+New+London,+Connecticut&t=h&z=19

[kurumi]

My I-84 solution overlaps with several of your ideas:

• Add a second 6-lane span to the Charter Oak bridge. This is going to be mainline I-84, 4 thru lanes, 2 auxiliary
• While that's in progress, widen I-691 to 8 lanes. Modernize/reconfigure its interchanges with I-84 and I-91 (foreshadowing)
• Meanwhile, widen I-91 between 691 and the Charter Oak Bridge to 10 lanes
• And modify the I-84/CT 15 interchange for more capacity on 15
  
• Reroute I-84 onto I-691, replacing that designation. Overlap I-84 with I-91 from Meriden to Hartford. I-84 continues along former CT 15 to present-day I-84
• Bring the Whalers back to Hartford
• Present-day I-84 from 84/15 to the E. Hartford Mixmaster becomes a lower-profile straight route across the Founders Bridge.
• The Bulkeley Bridge reverts to a surface street, extension of Connecticut Boulevard, leading to downtown Hartford
• Most of the Mixmaster is dismantled; the I-84 thru movements no longer exist, and you might as well clean up/give up on I-284
• Rip out the I-84 canyon and Aetna Viaduct (everything east of the old 484 interchange)
• The old I-84 between Southington and vicinity of the Capitol / Union Station becomes I-584
• Will we need to add ramps from the COB to/from I-91 toward Hartford? Or tell motorist to use the Founders Bridge (for downtown) and I-291 (for I-91 north)?

This is a few billion dollars, but it solves the viaduct problem, gives Hartford and East Hartford what they say they want, frees up some well-located real estate, does not consume a lot of new right-of-way, moves thru traffic out of the city (well, except for Meriden). Trucks get a long hill on I-91 that they didn't have on I-84 (Metacomet Ridge, which 84/72 cut through in New Britain) so that's a drawback.

[southshore720]

I-84 through Hartford would benefit from C/D roads for Downtown exits & I-91 while mainline traffic is unaffected by all of the exits involved (express & local).  The only impediment would be the air rights tunnel...and I don't know if it's currently wide enough to accommodate such a plan.

If anything comes of the plan, I'm hoping the left lane exits are eliminated and the sharp twists and turns are smoothed out.  I absolutely hate driving through this stretch...it's a white-knuckle ride every time!

[NE2]

I absolutely hate driving through this stretch...it's a white-knuckle ride every time!

Unless your destination is near Farmington-Plainville, why not use I-691?

[Mergingtraffic]

I absolutely hate driving through this stretch...it's a white-knuckle ride every time!

Unless your destination is near Farmington-Plainville, why not use I-691?

Coming from Boston I'd use 691 everytime.  Only hiccup would be the I-91 NB ramp to I-84 EB via 5/15.

[jp the roadgeek]

One more solution: reroute I-84 onto CT 72 and CT 9 north to near CT 175.  Build a connector from there to the 5/15 expressway portion at the top of the Berlin Turnpike.  Follow over the Charter Oak Bridge to rejoin in East Hartford.    I-84 from Plainville to Manchester becomes I-184.

[southshore720]

I absolutely hate driving through this stretch...it's a white-knuckle ride every time!

Unless your destination is near Farmington-Plainville, why not use I-691?

Coming from Boston I'd use 691 everytime.  Only hiccup would be the I-91 NB ramp to I-84 EB via 5/15.

You've nailed the reason why I avoid what would've been a better alternative!

[NE2]

I absolutely hate driving through this stretch...it's a white-knuckle ride every time!

Unless your destination is near Farmington-Plainville, why not use I-691?

Coming from Boston I'd use 691 everytime.  Only hiccup would be the I-91 NB ramp to I-84 EB via 5/15.

You've nailed the reason why I avoid what would've been a better alternative!

Get off at exit 27, U-turn onto the ramp to 15 north? Take 3 to 2 to I-84 (adds 2.3 miles)? Take 99 through Wethersfield (probably not worthwhile)?

[PHLBOS]

I-84 should be moved to I-691, at least temporarily during construction.

To a degree, ALT I-84 trailblazer and equivalent signs have already been placed at/along I-691, 91, US 5 & CT 15 for at least two decades.  I first started seeing them in the 90s when another segment of I-84 was being reconstructed.

ALT 84 TO 91 signs near Exit 27 (I-691 East)

The bottom line is that the above-alternate route is already being used by through traffic as an alternate to I-84.  As stated by others, the main traffic issue with that route not I-691 itself but rather the merging with or exiting off I-91 via US 5/CT 15.  Note: I've tried the CT 3/2 alternates as well. 

It's too bad I-691 (IIRC it was orginally planned to be a part of the full I-291 loop) didn't extend east and north and connected w/I-84 near I-291.  Had that happened, a lot less through traffic would use I-84.

[NE2]

I-691 (IIRC it was orginally planned to be a part of the full I-291 loop)

Sort of - it looks like, had Hartford become LA, you would have been able to follow freeways on 66 to Portland and 17 to Glastonbury, then I-491 to I-84. But it would be shorter to take I-91 to I-491.
http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/pics/art-hfd-fwy-60s.png

[kurumi]

I have to disagree on I-691 being planned as part of any Hartford loop (inner or outer). Long range vision was for a freeway heading to Willimantic, to merge with the proposed US 6 freeway. No plans to make it curve northbound (on either end).

[PHLBOS]

I-691 (IIRC it was orginally planned to be a part of the full I-291 loop)

Sort of - it looks like, had Hartford become LA, you would have been able to follow freeways on 66 to Portland and 17 to Glastonbury, then I-491 to I-84. But it would be shorter to take I-91 to I-491.
http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/pics/art-hfd-fwy-60s.png

Thanks for the info.; but the merging bottlenecks w/I-91 would've still appeared to be an issue even if I-491 was fully built.

While I-691 was not orginally planned to be a part of a lower loop/bypass; maybe it should've been.

[JakeFromNewEngland]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up in this certain forum post, but has anyone been following the new I-95 bridge over the Housatonic River? The state seems to be moving at a good pace to replace it, and the replacement is nice. It looks like all they are doing is just adding shoulders and replacing the bridge structure itself. I can't wait for it to be finished because I think CTDOT did a nice job for once. 

[KEVIN_224]

I believe it's called the Moses Wheeler Bridge. I never thought they'd have the room to do any other work, considering how close the Amtrak/Metro North train bridge is to it!

[jp the roadgeek]

I have to disagree on I-691 being planned as part of any Hartford loop (inner or outer). Long range vision was for a freeway heading to Willimantic, to merge with the proposed US 6 freeway. No plans to make it curve northbound (on either end).

This was part of my Eastern I-82 idea that incorporates this, the abandoned 84 to Providence and I-195/MA 25 to the Sagamore Bridge. I-384 could still be expanded to join it where the US 6 bypass begins now.

[southshore720]

I believe it's called the Moses Wheeler Bridge. I never thought they'd have the room to do any other work, considering how close the Amtrak/Metro North train bridge is to it!

It would've been nice if they built a southbound Exit 33 for Rte 110 as part of this project instead of the current practice of having to trudge through U.S. 1 in Devon (Milford) via Exit 34...but I guess the I-95 corridor in SW CT is plagued by too many exits as it is.

[Duke87]

It would've been nice if they built a southbound Exit 33 for Rte 110 as part of this project

Dunno that that'd be possible without taking property.

Although as far as I can guess, the reason exit 33 was built as half an interchange was because if it were complete it would have been hilariously easy to shunpike around the the toll plaza that was immediately west of there.