Connecticut News

[shadyjay]

Hey, pretty cool.  Yeah, the pull through on the Exit 3 diagrammatical sign for US 7 not including a control city for I-84 West is a bit disconcerting, but the signage replacement looks like it's coming along quite well.

And for all I know, all signs could be replaced by now.  I'm not sure when Bing "drove" the roads down there, but I will say this...... The i95/i91 split in New Haven has been moved more to the south, and pretty sure that change occurred "in the field" about 2 weeks ago. 

[Pete from Boston]

The i95/i91 split in New Haven has been moved more to the south, and pretty sure that change occurred "in the field" about 2 weeks ago.

I just notices this last night.  Must have missed it when driving through the week before.  It's not permanent because it puts you in the new ROW of 95.  Looks like 91 will finally get a proper right-hand exit ramp.

[jp the roadgeek]

Please confirm that 97 is still the last Connecticut mile marker, just before Exit 74 in Union.

Confirmed.  I drove past there last Thursday night.

Correct.

[southshore720]

I was on the 25/8 Connector this morning and noticed that there are several new BGS panels installed sporadically between Exits 1-3.  Is there a replacement plan for the Connector, or were they just randomly selected for replacement?

[jp the roadgeek]

If anyone wants to see some of the evidence of sign replacement on I-84 in Danbury, watch this week's episode of Jerry Seinfeld's new webshow Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.  All of the car scenes with Jerry and David Letterman take place on 84 and 7 in the Danbury area.  http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/

[Mergingtraffic]

I-84 widening to start "soon."  It's actually listed on the CT DOT website, with plans included.

I like the I-84 EB Exit 23 on-ramp and Exit 25 off ramp reconfiguration.

Note: This will be the third time, the Exit 25 EB has been reconfigured.  It used to end at a stop sign accross from McDonalds on Reidville Dr, then it was moved to it's current location in 1993 or 1994. And in 2014, it'll move again.

http://www.ct.gov/dot/lib/dot/documents/dcommunications/majorprojectupdates/waterbury_i_84/I_84_Waterbury.pdf

[shadyjay]

Goodbye, old "Q"....

Southbound I-95/turnpike traffic is being shifted off the original "Q" Bridge and onto the new northbound span this weekend.  Looking at the traffic cams, looks like traffic has been shifted over, though those motorists destined for Exits 47-48 still use the far western end of the new bridge via temporary ramps.

This will all pave the way for the demolition of the rest of the original bridge, which will be replaced with the new southbound span.

Details at www.i95newhaven.com

[wytout]

Some sign news for Eastern CT, i have recently seen some new 3di route markers on CT 190, 198, 195 that are all new HIP sheeting and they are all 3-di wide shield. multiple examples of this in a blanket replacement on 195 south of UConn,  several for 198 around the intersection with 171, and a blanket of new signs on 190 in stafford near a recent paving project includes a new route marker which is a wide shield. Will post some pics soon, looks like CT may be making a move to 3di wide state route shields as more than a "one-off".

[Duke87]

Wait, wait... ConnDOT is installing rectangles now? Madness!

A few do already exist, but they tend to be municipal installs.

[Alps]

Wait, wait... ConnDOT is installing rectangles now? Madness!

A few do already exist, but they tend to be municipal installs.

Next thing you know, Virginia will join suit, and we'll all have to move to Canada for normalcy.

[shadyjay]

Couple shots of the new signage on I-95 SB on the new "Q" Bridge...







^ that last image is actually on the old span, which is still open on its extreme western end to serve as temporary access to Exits 48 & 47.  This Phase III button copy sign assembly was slightly modified this weekend, with "NEXT RIGHT" removed from the bottom line of the Exit 47 sign, and the "I-95 South/N.Y. City" pull-through being removed.  Since I-95 SB being on the new northbound bridge is only temporary, the present connections are likewise also only temporary.  With recent construction, this assembly could very well be one of the few all button copy overhead assemblies left in New Haven. 

Images are screenshots from a video/news story recently on WTNH:
http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/traffic/traffic_news/rolling-along-on-the-new-q-bridge#.UfgyNtJBWSo

[Mergingtraffic]

and coming up soon when they replace the West River Bridge, there will be a temporary extruded Orange (BOS) telling of a road split during a few stages of construction.  I saw that in the plans on the DOT site

[wytout]

Some sign news for Eastern CT, i have recently seen some new 3di route markers on CT 190, 198, 195 that are all new HIP sheeting and they are all 3-di wide shield. multiple examples of this in a blanket replacement on 195 south of UConn,  several for 198 around the intersection with 171, and a blanket of new signs on 190 in stafford near a recent paving project includes a new route marker which is a wide shield. Will post some pics soon, looks like CT may be making a move to 3di wide state route shields as more than a "one-off".

OK after a 12 hour day at work I'm driving home through East Windsor near dusk tonight, and suddenly in the vicinity of the southern/western end of the CT191 /CT140 concurrency, route signage... just today... became all rectangle 3di wide shields.  I'm starting to think this isn't a fluke, as this is in a different district than the CT 198 and 195 new signage I saw a couple weeks ago.  Furthermore, the only signs replaced today were Route markers in this area, none of the other guide or warning signage is touched and this is not associated with any paving project... so I'm thinking state-erected signs, not contractor.  I go this way daily so I will get pic's up shortly.

[wytout]

So, here are a few Wide 3Di's for CT-191 and CT-140 (East Windsor), CT-190 (stafford) -
I still need to get shots of CT-195 in storrs (NOT the ones that have been there for years at CT-32, these are south of the UConn Campus down to Route 6), and CT 198 in Woodstock.






Untitled by wytout, on Flickr

[shadyjay]

Caught a few of those 3-wide state shields in Middlefield today on CT 147 & 157.  I admit, they look a little strange.  Guess I'm just used to seeing 3 numbers squished into a 2-wide shield.

Also driving around CT these past few days, I've been noticing A LOT of the new symbol version of the "School Bus Stop Ahead" sign.  Still haven't seen any new style "reduce speed ahead" signs.  The large black on yellow "Speed Limit Ahead - XX MPH" is still in use, on backroads and on the interstates.

[Mergingtraffic]

Caught a few of those 3-wide state shields in Middlefield today on CT 147 & 157.  I admit, they look a little strange.  Guess I'm just used to seeing 3 numbers squished into a 2-wide shield.

Also driving around CT these past few days, I've been noticing A LOT of the new symbol version of the "School Bus Stop Ahead" sign.  Still haven't seen any new style "reduce speed ahead" signs.  The large black on yellow "Speed Limit Ahead - XX MPH" is still in use, on backroads and on the interstates.

I caught one...it was so new, it still had the plastic wrap on it. CT-34 in Derby EB

[shadyjay]

Little bit o' news:

Last night, came down I-91 from MA to Exit 22S....
*  the last overhead assembly for Exit 40 has not yet been replaced.  There are two small temporary signs advertising Exit 40, which just have a CT 20 route marker and the Bradley Airport logo on them.

Drove the turnpike today between Int. 65 & 47 and back again....
*  There's a new blue "attractions" sign for Exit 64, advertising the NWR.  It's about the size of a temporary BGS sign.
*  Branford SB Service Plaza is still under construction.  It appears the old building was torn down and a new one is taking shape.
*  My first time driving over the new "Q"... pretty nice but no pics due to the heavy rain and I was driving. 
*  Stopped at the Branford NB service plaza.  Very nicely done.  A couple of vendors aren't open yet:  signs said "Coming soon- Statement Shop" and "Coming soon-Cinnabon & Auntie Anne's". 
*  Madison NB service plaza demo work continues.
*  Usual heavy traffic for much of the drive.

[connroadgeek]

Little bit o' news:

Last night, came down I-91 from MA to Exit 22S....
*  the last overhead assembly for Exit 40 has not yet been replaced.  There are two small temporary signs advertising Exit 40, which just have a CT 20 route marker and the Bradley Airport logo on them.

Drove the turnpike today between Int. 65 & 47 and back again....
*  There's a new blue "attractions" sign for Exit 64, advertising the NWR.  It's about the size of a temporary BGS sign.
*  Branford SB Service Plaza is still under construction.  It appears the old building was torn down and a new one is taking shape.
*  My first time driving over the new "Q"... pretty nice but no pics due to the heavy rain and I was driving. 
*  Stopped at the Branford NB service plaza.  Very nicely done.  A couple of vendors aren't open yet:  signs said "Coming soon- Statement Shop" and "Coming soon-Cinnabon & Auntie Anne's". 
*  Madison NB service plaza demo work continues.
*  Usual heavy traffic for much of the drive.

The new service plazas are nice, and they are being built very quickly. I like the mall style food court that they have now. McDonald's has to be upset, as the one in Darien was one of the ten busiest McDonald's in the world thanks in large part to the number of buses that stop there before hitting NYC. The bus drivers got a free meal. Now with multiple food options that has to put a dent in business. The new gas stations are nice. Well lit and a lot more pumps. During peak weekend travel times you'd see those back up which never made sense because all you had to do was get off at the next exit where there are plenty of gas stations that are usually much cheaper.

[mc78andrew]

Any news on when the greenwich service stations will be opened on the Merritt?  Only thing I could find was a preclosing plan that said all work would be done by this past fall? 

[dgolub]

*  My first time driving over the new "Q"... pretty nice but no pics due to the heavy rain and I was driving. 

Have they completely finished the replacement of the Q Bridge?  The last time I was up there was almost four years ago.  From Google Street View, it looks like they finished rebuilding the I-95/CT 34 interchange as well.

[kurumi]

The 95/91/34 interchange will be completed in 2016, according to the project site: http://www.i95newhaven.com/contractor/#

[iwishiwascanadian]

Has anyone seen the new site that ConnDOT has created about the future replacement of the Aetna Viaduct (I-84) through Hartford?  This looks like the state's next mega-project.  With the construction of CTfastrak (the New Britain-Hartford busway) and the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line within the are this part of Hartford will be under construction for a while.  Most people in Hartford are advocating for the highway to be tunneled so that way the city can push for the redevelopment of parts of the North End and Downtown North.   The site is www.i84hartford.com

[PHLBOS]

Has anyone seen the new site that ConnDOT has created about the future replacement of the Aetna Viaduct (I-84) through Hartford?  This looks like the state's next mega-project.  With the construction of CTfastrak (the New Britain-Hartford busway) and the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line within the are this part of Hartford will be under construction for a while.  Most people in Hartford are advocating for the highway to be tunneled so that way the city can push for the redevelopment of parts of the North End and Downtown North.   The site is www.i84hartford.com

Good to know.  Thanks for the info.

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.

Given the fact that this highway is currently carrying 175,000 vehicles a day (it was originally designed for 50,000 per day); scaling it down to an at-grade boulevard is not an option IMHO.

[NE2]

Thinking outside the shitter: a tunnel to the Founders Bridge. Revert the Bulkeley to US 44 only. Looks like there's a bit of a hill along the way, so it might not be that hard as tunnels go. The biggest problem might be I-91 access to/from the west.

[PHLBOS]

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.