Connecticut News

Duke87 · September 08, 2015, 09:28:35 PM

The hill in question is on US 44, actually.

The fact remains, though, if you need to close I-84 through Hartford for a long period of time... there isn't really a good way to detour all the traffic. Any trips originating west of Cheshire can take 691-91-15, but this doesn't help anyone starting from between there and Hartford, and it also has the significant problem of the ramp from 91 to 15 being a common bottleneck even without a bunch of extra traffic being dumped on it.

KEVIN_224 · September 08, 2015, 09:32:04 PM

I wonder how this would impact CT Fastrak? It passes under the viaduct in the vicinity of the Sigourney Street station. I've taken that road to/from downtown New Britain several times now.

JakeFromNewEngland · September 08, 2015, 09:33:48 PM

I just realized the Hartford Line should be completed by next year. I'm sure that might encourage people in the suburbs of Hartford to use that as a method to commute into the city if I-84 was closed, but that still leaves the long distance travelers in question..

JimmyI395 · September 09, 2015, 12:58:04 PM

The public will be able to walk the southbound side of the Q Bridge on Saturday September 19 10AM to 3PM.
Who's going??

http://i95newhaven.com/pdfs/contracts/announcement%201.pdf

MikeTheActuary · September 13, 2015, 09:06:11 AM

The Republican-American has an article with no surprises:

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2015/09/13/news/connecticut/907360.txt

Summary: Governor wants to spend lots of money on 84 and 91, including replacing the Mixmaster in Waterbury. Unsurprisingly no re-do of the Merritt, but the plan includes a recreational trail along the parkway, which the Nimbys oppose due to trees being untouchable (except when Mother Nature brings them down on their power lines).

Mergingtraffic · September 19, 2015, 09:31:35 PM

I walked teh I-95 SB lanes of the Q-Bridge today as the DOT has a public walk through. I must say the DOT went above and beyond with this. Politicians were there of course but the DOT has brochures about the project, a history display, DOT swag such as keychains, magnets and stuff, and they had a couple trucks and snow plows on display for the kids. It was really well done. Also, some WWII veterans on hand as well and best of all it was packed. Like the ribbon cuttings of the 1950s.

Here's some pics.

Alps · September 20, 2015, 12:49:14 AM

Did you get us enough ConnDOT swag for the next meet?

cpzilliacus · September 20, 2015, 10:06:04 AM

N.Y. Times: Building a Covered Bridge in Connecticut and a Link to the Past

QuoteNORWICH, Conn. – The oxen were yoked and Arnold M. Graton stood on the bank of the pond, awaiting their first steps.

QuoteAs they wound around the winch, the bridge began to move atop its wooden rollers – slowly, with creaks and lurches, it started to inch forward.

QuoteThe Gold Mine Bridge, named for a nearby mine, was being pulled into place on Sunday by the oxen – Mike and Brock – as well as Mr. Graton and his team of builders, at Greenbriar Farm, the home of Richard Perry, a public defender for the State of Connecticut.

QuoteThe bridge, built by hand, stands 60 feet across and 18 feet wide and weighs close to 50 tons. Made from hemlock, pine and oak with close to 600 wooden pegs, it is the first traditionally built covered bridge created in Connecticut since the 1870s.

QuoteMr. Graton, 78, is one of very few covered bridge builders in the country. Mr. Graton, whose fingernails were black from bruising, was reserved in the stereotypical manner of a New Englander – wasting little, including words – but after a brief pause in the action his blue eyes twinkled as he called out, "I guess we better stir up those oxen again."

dgolub · September 20, 2015, 10:14:46 AM

Quote from: Mergingtraffic on September 19, 2015, 09:31:35 PM
I walked teh I-95 SB lanes of the Q-Bridge today as the DOT has a public walk through. I must say the DOT went above and beyond with this. Politicians were there of course but the DOT has brochures about the project, a history display, DOT swag such as keychains, magnets and stuff, and they had a couple trucks and snow plows on display for the kids. It was really well done. Also, some WWII veterans on hand as well and best of all it was packed. Like the ribbon cuttings of the 1950s.

Here's some pics.

I'm feeling like we need a New Haven area meet, between this, the demolition of the Oak Street Connector (CT 34), and the changes that they were making to the exits for CT 10. Maybe I'll host one next year.

TravelingBethelite · September 20, 2015, 01:33:55 PM

Heading to Waterford from East Haddam, I noticed that CT 85 has been repaved from CT 82 to the Waterford Commons, and possibly beyond. I am unsure if they were restriped. The on/off ramp BGS's of I-395 at CT 85 have been replaced in the exit-renumbering project except this one: https://goo.gl/l3rqNI. Also some Massachusetts-style signs where CT 11 dumps its traffic onto CT 82: https://goo.gl/3xEtqG

Duke87 · September 20, 2015, 01:37:40 PM

My New Haven meet in 2011 focused in part on the construction in this area and we drove on now-removed CT 34. Could be interesting for some to return and see what has changed.

It would break the pattern of a Connecticut meet every three years, though. After Hartford 2008, New Haven 2011, and Merritt Parkway 2014, the next CT meet is due in 2017.

shadyjay · September 21, 2015, 05:58:39 PM

So I saw this morning a post on FB that mentions the northbound lanes of the Gold Star Bridge will close in their entirety in 2017 for a 4-year reconstruction of the span. I'm not seeing mention of this anywhere else. For those that don't know, the bridge is the longest in CT, over a mile, and is actually two separate bridges, each one about 5 lanes wide with full width shoulders. I know they've been doing some work on it for the past year or so. But a complete shutdown for a full reconstruction? I guess it's the only bridge in CT that has the ability to be closed in its entirety. The SB span could be converted to 3 lanes of traffic in each direction.

It will be interesting to see the scope of work and the traffic modifications and mitigation that would come with such a project.

UPDATE: I found an article from The Day (the New London-area newspaper) that states the rating of the bridge is "poor" and that work is planned (article from this past February)...
http://www.theday.com/article/20150222/NWS01/302229965

Alps · September 21, 2015, 06:58:23 PM

Quote from: shadyjay on September 21, 2015, 05:58:39 PM
So I saw this morning a post on FB that mentions the northbound lanes of the Gold Star Bridge will close in their entirety in 2017 for a 4-year reconstruction of the span. I'm not seeing mention of this anywhere else. For those that don't know, the bridge is the longest in CT, over a mile, and is actually two separate bridges, each one about 5 lanes wide with full width shoulders. I know they've been doing some work on it for the past year or so. But a complete shutdown for a full reconstruction? I guess it's the only bridge in CT that has the ability to be closed in its entirety. The SB span could be converted to 3 lanes of traffic in each direction.

It will be interesting to see the scope of work and the traffic modifications and mitigation that would come with such a project.

UPDATE: I found an article from The Day (the New London-area newspaper) that states the rating of the bridge is "poor" and that work is planned (article from this past February)...
http://www.theday.com/article/20150222/NWS01/302229965

I'm surprised they're saying 4 years. The Pulaski Skyway closure isn't supposed to even take that long, and while it's a lot narrower, they're also keeping half open at a time, and it's in much worse shape and much older.

Mergingtraffic · September 21, 2015, 08:37:29 PM

Quote from: Duke87 on September 20, 2015, 01:37:40 PM
My New Haven meet in 2011 focused in part on the construction in this area and we drove on now-removed CT 34. Could be interesting for some to return and see what has changed.

It would break the pattern of a Connecticut meet every three years, though. After Hartford 2008, New Haven 2011, and Merritt Parkway 2014, the next CT meet is due in 2017.

I'll go...it'll be my first ever meet. hopefully the I-91 interchange will be almost complete. Side attractions: I-84 Waterbury widening about 30 minutes away.

southshore720 · September 22, 2015, 03:46:10 PM

Quote from: shadyjay on September 21, 2015, 05:58:39 PM
So I saw this morning a post on FB that mentions the northbound lanes of the Gold Star Bridge will close in their entirety in 2017 for a 4-year reconstruction of the span.

CT State Police have a nice speed trap perch in the emergency crossover on the Groton side of the bridge. They better get their tickets in now, because that perch is going to be history once they have to shift the traffic over.

MikeTheActuary · September 22, 2015, 06:29:40 PM

ConnDOT is letting folks play mix-and-match with an interactive Aetna Viaduct replacement alternatives tool: http://www.i84hartford.com/i84alternatives/index.html

shadyjay · September 26, 2015, 12:25:22 PM

Saw a new yellow diamond "speed limit ahead" sign on I-91 SB at Exit 33, coming into Hartford. Still the old fashioned yellow rectangle "SPEED LIMIT AHEAD / 55 MPH" up at the end of the 65mph zone at Exit 35.

Observed some new ramp speed signs on I-91 SB for Exit 30 and CT 9 SB for Exit 7. Arrow now shown for hairpin/sharp curves. Here's a sort-of representation of the new signs:

Old style:

RAMP
-----
30
MPH

New Style:

RAMP
<---
-
30
MPH

No evidence of work started for the spot replacement of overhead assemblies at I-91 SB Exit 41 (to be combined with NB Exit 42) and I-91 SB Exit 40 (removed several years ago).

May return to VT on Sunday via I-395's entire length so hope to get some new sign pics up that way past Norwich.

JimmyI395 · September 27, 2015, 06:17:29 PM

shadyjay · September 27, 2015, 07:19:17 PM

I drove the entire length of I-395 today and got pics of all the new signage up to Exit 29/former Exit 88. North of there, which is the start of the second contract, only some supports for new signs are up... some, not all, and one new cantilever support SB for Kennedy Drive in Putnam. Only new signage north of Exit 29/88 are speed limits, reassurance shields, and ramp signage. New gore exit signs are up as well but are hidden behind the old ones. Exit numbers have not been altered on any signs north of Exit 29/88. Also, no new mile markers are up along the entire length of both projects. The NB empty gantry for Route 82 in Norwich has been removed, as have all sign brackets which were on overhead bridges. Only sign that remains on a bridge on the southern half of the project is the "HARTFORD/COLCHESTER/NEXT RIGHT" for Exit 2/77. Not sure why that was retained on a bridge.

Link to all I-395 pics... if you have this link previous, some new signs are mixed in with the old...
https://picasaweb.google.com/108118189767835080687/I395SignReplacementInCT02

Also, the 2014 random spot sign replacement has replaced the signs on I-95 SB for Exit 65/1 mile and the State Police 1/2 Mile sign that were formerly mounted on the Spencer Plain Road overpass at Exit 66. Didn't get a shot of the new signs as I was heading NB (well, EB).

Progress is being made on the median replacement project on I-95 in Old Lyme between Exits 70 & 71, though unfortunately they're doing it the same way as when they did Exits 72-76, retaining the grass median and with the new jersey barrier not centered. Seems like they should've done it the right way... pave the whole median and run the barrier down the middle, providing full width inside shoulders. But no.. the grass median remains (visible in the distance):

The Society Road bridge over I-95 at Exit 73 is being replaced. Looks like rather than replace the bridge in its existing location, a new span is being built immediately adjacent, on the west side. Abutments don't look like they're far back enough to support a 3rd lane in each direction in the future. Again... way to plan ahead with that one, ConnDOT!

JakeFromNewEngland · September 28, 2015, 06:45:40 PM

Does anyone know any news about when the Q Bridge is going to be open fully with 10 lanes? From a traffic cam it looks like NB I-95 is still in it's 3 lane configuration and I-95 SB has 4 lanes open.

PHLBOS · September 29, 2015, 09:42:29 AM

Is it me or are those new I-395 exit tabs unnecessarily wide... even for MUTCD standards?

roadman · September 29, 2015, 10:01:28 AM

Quote from: PHLBOS on September 29, 2015, 09:42:29 AM
Is it me or are those new I-395 exit tabs unnecessarily wide... even for MUTCD standards?

It's not just you - I was noticing the same thing - very wide tabs for the numbers. By comparison, MassDOT standard exit tabs for a two-digit number are 8.5 feet wide, and a typical SignCAD two-digit exit tab calculation will be between 7.5 and 8 feet wide depending on the numeral.

kurumi · September 29, 2015, 11:09:50 AM

Are the I-395 signs different enough from recent I-95 work to be called "Phase V"?

The route markers have outlines; the exit tabs are wider... it looks different from the 2012 work in lower Fairfield County.

wytout · September 30, 2015, 06:52:52 AM

Another thing I do not understand on the new BGS's on the 395 project, is going from series D on 1Di shields to series C on on 2Di shields, then reverting back to series D for 3Di shields. As CT has updated their sign catalog in recent years to provide for wide 3Di shields both on BGS's and trailblazers, I do not believe series C is even specified any longer for 2Di's. I do not believe any other Green Sign replacement project is utilizing series C outline shields for 2Di routes.

Mergingtraffic · September 30, 2015, 11:58:12 AM

Quote from: kurumi on September 29, 2015, 11:09:50 AM
Are the I-395 signs different enough from recent I-95 work to be called "Phase V"?

The route markers have outlines; the exit tabs are wider... it looks different from the 2012 work in lower Fairfield County.

Pardon my ignorance.....but are the sign "phases" something that the DOT uses or something we just made up here on AARoads?
I take it the phases refer to the style of sign made?
Non-reflective button copy to reflective button copy?
I take it, some highways have skipped certain phases as some signs aren't replaced as often?

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