Connecticut News

[sharkyfour]

I tried opening the documents on the Merdian Mix website, but each time I got an "Internal Server Error" message. Is there an alternative way to view the documents?

Looks like the site is back up now.  This morning it was coming up with a security error and then some Christian camp site if you continued anyway...  Guessing their webhosting company isn't having a good day.

[Mergingtraffic]

Which sign is replacing which?

Unfortunately, CT DOT is replacing an extruded aluminum warning sign with a small sheet metal sign that omits the "REDUCE SPEED" portion.
I-691/CT-66 Combo.

[Alps]

Only thing that might preclude the CT 15 exit renumbering would be the fact that the Wethersfield/East Hartford section signage is still 1980's Phase III vintage much like I-91 from Hartford to the MA border.  That would probably become part of an I-91 project.  Overlays are always an option, but let's see if the Fairfield County Merritt preservationists can use it to buy more time.

Would CTDOT really add exit numbers to the 187/189 freeway?  If they were, they'd most likely be 8A and 8B based on CT 189 mileage (CTDOT recognizes the overlap as CT 189, but the mile markers are pretty close anyway).

I would apply the rule we use for freeways: Minimum of three exits to qualify.

[bob7374]

Which sign is replacing which?

Unfortunately, CT DOT is replacing an extruded aluminum warning sign with a small sheet metal sign that omits the "REDUCE SPEED" portion.
I-691/CT-66 Combo.

Since, in my experience, nobody slows down anyway perhaps CTDOT is wisely saving some money on smaller sign. 

[The Ghostbuster]

It appears the little sign is replacing the big sign. I have a Google Maps Street View image of the same location: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5279262,-72.746066,3a,75y,109.8h,86.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqePae90BDPTbgcpYufr3pg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

[kernals12]

Glad to see the 91/691/15 interchange improvements are going ahead. It's a sign that Connecticut is still capable of undertaking major highway improvements. Hopefully that bodes well for improvements to I-84 in Danbury, Waterbury, and Hartford.

It's dubbed the "Meriden Mix" .

https://meridenmix.com/

Were the Waterbury and East Hartford "mixes" not enough?

[abqtraveler]

Glad to see the 91/691/15 interchange improvements are going ahead. It's a sign that Connecticut is still capable of undertaking major highway improvements. Hopefully that bodes well for improvements to I-84 in Danbury, Waterbury, and Hartford.

It's dubbed the "Meriden Mix" .

https://meridenmix.com/

Were the Waterbury and East Hartford "mixes" not enough?

And the mix in New Haven, which is much better now than before it was reconstructed with the Q-Bridge. I don't know if you would consider the mess at the I-95/I-395/US-1 junction in Waterford as another "mix," but I think it would fit the definition IMHO.

[southshore720]

Glad to see the 91/691/15 interchange improvements are going ahead. It's a sign that Connecticut is still capable of undertaking major highway improvements. Hopefully that bodes well for improvements to I-84 in Danbury, Waterbury, and Hartford.

It's dubbed the "Meriden Mix" .

https://meridenmix.com/

Were the Waterbury and East Hartford "mixes" not enough?

And the mix in New Haven, which is much better now than before it was reconstructed with the Q-Bridge. I don't know if you would consider the mess at the I-95/I-395/US-1 junction in Waterford as another "mix," but I think it would fit the definition IMHO.

A mix in Waterford would've been more apt had they finished the much beleaguered Route 11!

[Ted$8roadFan]

Glad to see the 91/691/15 interchange improvements are going ahead. It's a sign that Connecticut is still capable of undertaking major highway improvements. Hopefully that bodes well for improvements to I-84 in Danbury, Waterbury, and Hartford.

It's dubbed the "Meriden Mix" .

https://meridenmix.com/

Were the Waterbury and East Hartford "mixes" not enough?

And the mix in New Haven, which is much better now than before it was reconstructed with the Q-Bridge. I don't know if you would consider the mess at the I-95/I-395/US-1 junction in Waterford as another "mix," but I think it would fit the definition IMHO.

A mix in Waterford would've been more apt had they finished the much beleaguered Route 11!

Waterford and East Lyme need a "mix"  for I-95/I-395/US-1.

[kurumi]

I-84/384/291/US6/US44 could also be a mix.

US5/CT15/CT372 - mini mix

CT 2/17/94 - micro mix

[kernals12]

I-84/384/291/US6/US44 could also be a mix.

US5/CT15/CT372 - mini mix

CT 2/17/94 - micro mix

I-84/384 etc. is the East Hartford Mixmaster

The other two are pushing it

[jp the roadgeek]

I-84/384/291/US6/US44 could also be a mix.

US5/CT15/CT372 - mini mix

CT 2/17/94 - micro mix

Might as well throw in I-84/CT 72/CT 372/SR 536 as a mix too. 

[mariethefoxy]

Which sign is replacing which?

Unfortunately, CT DOT is replacing an extruded aluminum warning sign with a small sheet metal sign that omits the "REDUCE SPEED" portion.
I-691/CT-66 Combo.

this seems like a downgrade honestly, why would they replace a larger sign with something that's smaller and therefore harder to read at a distance.

[shadyjay]

As I was driving I-395 today from end to end, it occured to me that this road has seen almost zero upgrades since it was constructed in 1958 (turnpike section) yet the traffic on its southern 10 miles or so has increased something like 300% in that time, largely due to the casinos in the area.  While its not as congested as I-95 is (especially west of New Haven), its seeing A LOT more traffic than it did in the early 90s.  Really, the only change on the road has been the elimination of the loop ramp at Exit 11 NB (outside of resurfacing and service plaza upgrades).

So what should I-395 have changed?

*  Convert Exit 5 (Route 32/New London) from a left hand exit to a right hand exit.  Just shift the I-395 SB thru lanes to be parallel to the NB lanes, and have a new 2-lane
    ramp exiting on the right, then flying over both directions of I-395.  There isn't presently much of a decelleration lane and due to the trees and the vertical/horizontal
    alignment of the ramp, you really don't spot it until you're right on top of it.
*  Adding a 3rd lane from Exit 5 to (at least) Exit 9, but realistically, up to Exit 13.

Or....

No need to invest in I-395 when there's other interstates in need of more help (which may be true, indeed).

Or replace more perfectly good extruded aluminum signs with flimsy, sheet metal knock-offs?  :-)

[sharkyfour]

As I was driving I-395 today from end to end, it occured to me that this road has seen almost zero upgrades since it was constructed in 1958 (turnpike section) yet the traffic on its southern 10 miles or so has increased something like 300% in that time, largely due to the casinos in the area.  While its not as congested as I-95 is (especially west of New Haven), its seeing A LOT more traffic than it did in the early 90s.  Really, the only change on the road has been the elimination of the loop ramp at Exit 11 NB (outside of resurfacing and service plaza upgrades).

So what should I-395 have changed?

*  Convert Exit 5 (Route 32/New London) from a left hand exit to a right hand exit.  Just shift the I-395 SB thru lanes to be parallel to the NB lanes, and have a new 2-lane
    ramp exiting on the right, then flying over both directions of I-395.  There isn't presently much of a decelleration lane and due to the trees and the vertical/horizontal
    alignment of the ramp, you really don't spot it until you're right on top of it.
*  Adding a 3rd lane from Exit 5 to (at least) Exit 9, but realistically, up to Exit 13.

Or....

No need to invest in I-395 when there's other interstates in need of more help (which may be true, indeed).

Or replace more perfectly good extruded aluminum signs with flimsy, sheet metal knock-offs?  :-)

My vote is there's much bigger fish to fry in CT.  I regularly go Windham to Guilford and back, and the 395 portion of the trip is usually the easiest with the least traffic.  95 from the 395 interchange to the Baldwin bridge is generally the most white-knuckle and could use some improvements, followed by 95 from the Hammonasset connector to New Haven as the worst parts in my book.

Also, going almost daily from Windham to Manchester or Hartford, I would kill for the route 6 expressway to be completed, not that that will ever happen.

Edit:  I wouldn't mind if Exit 5 was moved to the right, it can be a problem at times, but not the worst by far.

[The Ghostbuster]

I wouldn't think Interstate 395 would need a lot of improvements, since I can't imagine that traffic on 395 is very heavy. One thing I would like to happen is to convert the 95/395 into a full interchange. Would that be possible or practical?

[MATraveler128]

I wouldn't think Interstate 395 would need a lot of improvements, since I can't imagine that traffic on 395 is very heavy. One thing I would like to happen is to convert the 95/395 into a full interchange. Would that be possible or practical?

It almost looks possible. Only issue is that there is a Christmas tree farm right near the interchange. I'm not sure how busy CT 85 gets to be able to warrant it. And who knows of ConnDOT can afford it.

[shadyjay]

I wouldn't think Interstate 395 would need a lot of improvements, since I can't imagine that traffic on 395 is very heavy. One thing I would like to happen is to convert the 95/395 into a full interchange. Would that be possible or practical?

The moves that are not served by the I-95/I-395 interchange at present (395S->95N and 95S->395N) are negligible enough where its not a major inconvenience.  CT 85 is the defacto connector to make those movements and its a 4-lane "arterial" (portions divided).  CT 85's commercial area (surrounding the Crystal Mall) isn't nearly as busy as it used to be, but we will see what any future  redevelopment at the mall brings.  CT 32 is also a secondary/unsigned connector, also 4 lanes, also divided, with fewer lights and less "commercialism".  Now, with that being said, any project involving Route 11 would probably be able to fill in the missing movements, but as long as Route 11 stays dead, I'd leave it alone.  Still makes me hold out hope, though, since they are renumbering the exits still counting up the mileage from I-95 and not Route 82. 

I was looking at the traffic maps today when I got home and saw I-95 a virtual parking lot for most of the 2-lane zone, northbound.  While summer holidays are a handful, there is the "daily grind" that would benefit from a widening (at least) in Branford, out to the Guilford line, transitioning to 2 lanes there, vs at an interchange.  And then, of course, from the Baldwin Bridge to New London needed to be 3 lanes some 20+ years ago.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I wouldn't think Interstate 395 would need a lot of improvements, since I can't imagine that traffic on 395 is very heavy. One thing I would like to happen is to convert the 95/395 into a full interchange. Would that be possible or practical?

Maybe not a full interchange, but at least an improvement to the crossing traffic around Exits 75-76, especially from the merge  southbound. I'm sure it's been discussed and plans created, but it needs to happen (along with widening from 395 to Branford).

[connroadgeek]

It almost looks possible. Only issue is that there is a Christmas tree farm right near the interchange. I'm not sure how busy CT 85 gets to be able to warrant it. And who knows of ConnDOT can afford it.

You could move the 395 to 95 south ramp a bit north into that area where the power lines are and then use the existing space for a flyover to 95 north.

[Alps]

I feel like the most important I-395 improvement would be connecting it to/from the east on I-95.

[sharkyfour]

I feel like the most important I-395 improvement would be connecting it to/from the east on I-95.

I can't imagine that would be worth it.  If anything, make further improvements to Route 32 between 95 and 395; it cuts 5 miles out of the trip.

[jp the roadgeek]

I feel like the most important I-395 improvement would be connecting it to/from the east on I-95.

I can't imagine that would be worth it.  If anything, make further improvements to Route 32 between 95 and 395; it cuts 5 miles out of the trip.

Absolutely.  Plus it is a better route from the Hartford area to New London without the existence of a completed CT 11.  New London should not be a control for CT 11 South from CT 2; traffic should take 2 to 395 to 32. 

[abqtraveler]

I feel like the most important I-395 improvement would be connecting it to/from the east on I-95.

I can't imagine that would be worth it.  If anything, make further improvements to Route 32 between 95 and 395; it cuts 5 miles out of the trip.

Absolutely.  Plus it is a better route from the Hartford area to New London without the existence of a completed CT 11.  New London should not be a control for CT 11 South from CT 2; traffic should take 2 to 395 to 32.

Regarding Route 11, now that there's not a snowball's chance in a blast furnace of it ever being completed to I-95, I think CTDOT would be wise to eliminate one of the carriageways and make it a Super-2 to save on maintenance costs. In its current form, it's way overbuilt and underutilized.

[RobbieL2415]

I feel like the most important I-395 improvement would be connecting it to/from the east on I-95.

I can't imagine that would be worth it.  If anything, make further improvements to Route 32 between 95 and 395; it cuts 5 miles out of the trip.

Absolutely.  Plus it is a better route from the Hartford area to New London without the existence of a completed CT 11.  New London should not be a control for CT 11 South from CT 2; traffic should take 2 to 395 to 32.

Regarding Route 11, now that there's not a snowball's chance in a blast furnace of it ever being completed to I-95, I think CTDOT would be wise to eliminate one of the carriageways and make it a Super-2 to save on maintenance costs. In its current form, it's way overbuilt and underutilized.

Well, that might actually cost more than maintaining the highway as-is.