Connecticut News

[abqtraveler]

Probably veering too much into fictional, but: redesignate CT 11 as CT 85A. A short overlap with 82 that ends at the roundabout and that's that.

"It is what it is now. We tried. We're moving on."

I would reroute Rt 85, following Rt 82 from the 82/85 rotary, then following Rt 11 to Rt 2, and re-designate Rt 85 north of the rotary as something else. While I'm at it, I would get rid of the incomplete diamond interchange where Rt 11 ends at 82. Maybe place another rotary there.

[shadyjay]

Perhaps its time to drudge up an earlier proposal for Route 11, one that had the road peter out not too far south of where it does now, but tying directly in to Route 85.  This is kind of like what was done with US 7 in Brookfield.  However, there, US 7 was widened up to New Milford.  This option probably wouldn't cost a tremendous amount, would remove traffic away from the "Four Corners" rotary, and give a somewhat more proper end to Route 11.  Four laning all the way to I-395?  Probably not, but maybe to Chesterfield/Rt 161 would be a possibility.

[Alps]

I've never seen CT 11 on a summer weekend to find out how much traffic it receives, but there's such minimal traffic every other time I've been around 11 that I don't see a reason to build it any further.

[DJ Particle]

I've never seen CT 11 on a summer weekend to find out how much traffic it receives, but there's such minimal traffic every other time I've been around 11 that I don't see a reason to build it any further.

Then again, it's possible it only has that much traffic *because* it doesn't reach as far as originally planned.

[Ted$8roadFan]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

[MATraveler128]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

[southshore720]

You are more likely to see a leprechaun throwing out gold coins whilst riding a unicorn than to see the completion of Route 11, stumped highways (I-384, US 7, CT 25), or any new highways in CT.  No money and too many NIMBYs.

[RobbieL2415]

CT 11 would be a more direct route to I-95 than having to take CT 2 into Norwich.

A completed CT 11 might take a load off I-395 from Norwich to New London.  I say if they're not going to complete CT 11, then they should add a lane in each direction to 395 between the aforementioned cities, and a ramp from 95 SB to 395 NB.

[RobbieL2415]

This one I hadn't seen yet: a 2020 River Cog (Middletown area) study that includes a Route 66 bypass of Portland, meeting Route 17A at a new interchange near the Arrigoni Bridge: https://www.rivercog.org/wp-content/uploads/reports-and-studies/2020-10-05-Route-66-Draft-Final-Reportred3.pdf  (scroll to page 97)

The proposal seems interesting, but I'm not sure if it's that bad of a traffic issue to warrant a whole bypass. Plus I know Portland also has plans on using RR ROW for the Airline Trail at some later future point.

US 6/384 ... most likely this means all of I-384 along with the Willimantic Bypass.  That's not much of a contract.  I would have thrown in I-291 as well. 

So they're adding exit numbers to US 6 in Willimantic? Are they gonna label the two ends as exits as well?

I wouldn't think the endpoints of the bypass would be numbered, seeing they are part of the mainline.  You could make a case for the signalized portion of the western end that grants access to CT 66 (just not the slip ramp that is mainline 6 west), but I don't think they would.  The 32 exits would be 89 and the 195 exits 91.

Oh, and welcome back.

I would honestly just sign US 6 with I-384 so that the exit numbers stay consistent with the mileage to the RI border. That is, not having it go from Exit 7 or whatever in Bolton to exit 20-something in Windham.

[Alps]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Part of the issue is their unwillingness to ever end up tolling any highway in the state. Every time that seems to fail, so they keep having minimal money to do useful things with.

[Rothman]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Part of the issue is their unwillingness to ever end up tolling any highway in the state. Every time that seems to fail, so they keep having minimal money to do useful things with.

Nah, not minimal.  They have enough to preserve their system and keep themselves from doing silly things like completing CT 11.

[jp the roadgeek]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Part of the issue is their unwillingness to ever end up tolling any highway in the state. Every time that seems to fail, so they keep having minimal money to do useful things with.

Nah, not minimal.  They have enough to preserve their system and keep themselves from doing silly things like completing CT 11.

It's all about fiscal management.  With these ridiculously high gas prices and the gross receipts fuel tax that is a % of the wholesale cost of gas, they figure to be rolling in the dough

[JJBers]

I like how your tagline is "middle of nowhere" but you're between NY and Boston and Hartford and Providence

Considering the rest of the zone is full of suburbia and cities, it is kinda like the middle of nowhere. I'm about evenly distanced from Hartford and Providence, and NYC & Boston.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I like how your tagline is "middle of nowhere" but you're between NY and Boston and Hartford and Providence

Considering the rest of the zone is full of suburbia and cities, it is kinda like the middle of nowhere. I'm about evenly distanced from Hartford and Providence, and NYC & Boston.

In fact, Northeastern CT and adjacent parts of Mass. are actually called "The Last Green Valley"  in tourism circles.

https://thelastgreenvalley.org/

[Rothman]

I like how your tagline is "middle of nowhere" but you're between NY and Boston and Hartford and Providence

Considering the rest of the zone is full of suburbia and cities, it is kinda like the middle of nowhere. I'm about evenly distanced from Hartford and Providence, and NYC & Boston.

In fact, Northeastern CT and adjacent parts of Mass. are actually called "The Last Green Valley"  in tourism circles.

https://thelastgreenvalley.org/

It is quite rural in that corner of CT.

[abqtraveler]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I’m guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn’t have the money for funding such a thing.

Part of the issue is their unwillingness to ever end up tolling any highway in the state. Every time that seems to fail, so they keep having minimal money to do useful things with.

Even though it's been nearly 40 years, there are still a lot of people in Connecticut who remember the Stratford toll plaza crash in 1983 that killed 7 people. Regardless of the fact that tolling technology today is leaps and bounds beyond what we had in 1983 (high-speed, cashless, no stopping), most Connecticut voters think "Stratford toll plaza crash" when the discussion of tolling the state's highways comes up. And there's the argument from other voters in a state with one of the nation's highest tax burden, that such tolls would be just another "tax." 

As much as Connecticut is a left-leaning "tax and spend" state, where lawmakers love to take your hard-earned money and squander it like drunken sailors, even they know where the voters have drawn the red line. Most legislators in the General Assembly know it would be political suicide if they enacted legislation re-authorizing tolls on Connecticut's highways, which is why they balk at the idea every time it comes up for debate.

[DJStephens]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Was under impression plans to replace "mixmaster" were scrapped and the interchange was rehabilitated instead.  In it's original configuration.  Are they still working on the rehab?   Remember it from late seventies/early eighties, it's funky double deck and left exits.  Seemed ancient and obsolete then.   
Widen 84 W of Hartford?  Thought the "busway" put the kibosh on that.   What they should have done, is trench 84 S of the aetna viaduct, and widen in the process.  All the through traffic that could have been on 291 around, goes straight through.  Straightening, depression, and widening should be pursued.   

[abqtraveler]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Was under impression plans to replace "mixmaster" were scrapped and the interchange was rehabilitated instead.  In it's original configuration.  Are they still working on the rehab?   Remember it from late seventies/early eighties, it's funky double deck and left exits.  Seemed ancient and obsolete then.   
Widen 84 W of Hartford?  Thought the "busway" put the kibosh on that.   What they should have done, is trench 84 S of the aetna viaduct, and widen in the process.  All the through traffic that could have been on 291 around, goes straight through.  Straightening, depression, and widening should be pursued.

CTDOT is still planning to replace the Waterbury Mixmaster, but the latest I've read on it, they plan to take more of a piecemeal approach to replacing the interchange instead of trying to do it all at once. There is a website that details the approach that CTDOT will take to replacing the Mixmaster, breaking the project out into multiple phases that will take place over the course of 10-15 years, starting in the latter part of this decade and continuing to around 2040. To eat the elephant, sometimes it's better to cut it up into smaller pieces so that it's more digestible.

https://www.newmixwaterbury.com/project-information/

[dgolub]

I like how your tagline is "middle of nowhere" but you're between NY and Boston and Hartford and Providence

Considering the rest of the zone is full of suburbia and cities, it is kinda like the middle of nowhere. I'm about evenly distanced from Hartford and Providence, and NYC & Boston.

In fact, Northeastern CT and adjacent parts of Mass. are actually called "The Last Green Valley"  in tourism circles.

https://thelastgreenvalley.org/

It is quite rural in that corner of CT.

To be fair, Litchfield County is also pretty rural.

[DJStephens]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Was under impression plans to replace "mixmaster" were scrapped and the interchange was rehabilitated instead.  In it's original configuration.  Are they still working on the rehab?   Remember it from late seventies/early eighties, it's funky double deck and left exits.  Seemed ancient and obsolete then.   
Widen 84 W of Hartford?  Thought the "busway" put the kibosh on that.   What they should have done, is trench 84 S of the aetna viaduct, and widen in the process.  All the through traffic that could have been on 291 around, goes straight through.  Straightening, depression, and widening should be pursued.

CTDOT is still planning to replace the Waterbury Mixmaster, but the latest I've read on it, they plan to take more of a piecemeal approach to replacing the interchange instead of trying to do it all at once. There is a website that details the approach that CTDOT will take to replacing the Mixmaster, breaking the project out into multiple phases that will take place over the course of 10-15 years, starting in the latter part of this decade and continuing to around 2040. To eat the elephant, sometimes it's better to cut it up into smaller pieces so that it's more digestible.

https://www.newmixwaterbury.com/project-information/

Some very good pictures / aerials of initial Mid Sixties I-84 Construction in Waterbury in attached link.  Thanks for posting.   

[Ted$8roadFan]

I like how your tagline is "middle of nowhere" but you're between NY and Boston and Hartford and Providence

Considering the rest of the zone is full of suburbia and cities, it is kinda like the middle of nowhere. I'm about evenly distanced from Hartford and Providence, and NYC & Boston.

In fact, Northeastern CT and adjacent parts of Mass. are actually called "The Last Green Valley"  in tourism circles.

https://thelastgreenvalley.org/

It is quite rural in that corner of CT.

To be fair, Litchfield County is also pretty rural.

True, but it's also closer to NYC and I would imagine a popular second home market for city dwellers, just like the southern Berkshires.

[Ted$8roadFan]

It seems that every decade or so, the Governor of Connecticut (or another prominent politico) makes a promise to finish Route 11 from its present end at CT 82 to I-95/I-395 to further economic development in southeastern Connecticut, but of course little more happens beyond that due to (I'm guessing) cost, environmental considerations, etc. Not sure why this time would be different.

You are correct on environmental concerns, but funding would also be an issue. Currently, the state has higher priorities, such as fixing the Mixmaster in Waterbury and widening I-84 west of Hartford. Connecticut simply doesn't have the money for funding such a thing.

Was under impression plans to replace "mixmaster" were scrapped and the interchange was rehabilitated instead.  In it's original configuration.  Are they still working on the rehab?   Remember it from late seventies/early eighties, it's funky double deck and left exits.  Seemed ancient and obsolete then.   
Widen 84 W of Hartford?  Thought the "busway" put the kibosh on that.   What they should have done, is trench 84 S of the aetna viaduct, and widen in the process.  All the through traffic that could have been on 291 around, goes straight through.  Straightening, depression, and widening should be pursued.

CTDOT is still planning to replace the Waterbury Mixmaster, but the latest I've read on it, they plan to take more of a piecemeal approach to replacing the interchange instead of trying to do it all at once. There is a website that details the approach that CTDOT will take to replacing the Mixmaster, breaking the project out into multiple phases that will take place over the course of 10-15 years, starting in the latter part of this decade and continuing to around 2040. To eat the elephant, sometimes it's better to cut it up into smaller pieces so that it's more digestible.

https://www.newmixwaterbury.com/project-information/

There's also the elevated I-84 viaduct through Hartford that needs to be replaced as well. *That* will be quite the undertaking.

[DJStephens]

Frankly am of the opinion that the best course of action with 84 in Hartford,  is complete reconstruction and partial / full depression.  Basically on or near current alignment.   Have seen some bizarre scenarios where it is tunneled to the S, or routed far to the N, making it even more indirect.   
Construct new alignment S of current in town aetna viaduct, provide for a ten lane cross - section with express lanes, full inner and outer shoulders.   Depress in trench, or "cut and cover" so it could be decked over.  Would clean up downtown quite a bit.   
Straighten and lower alignment within Hartford city limits.  Elimination of the remaining left exits and easing of multiple curves where possible.  Have not been on corridor in over fifteen years, perhaps some of the never built parkway and planned expressway stubs (Sisson Ave for example) are now Gone.  Not sure how "busway" could fit into this, perhaps as the far right lane, in each direction.   

[kernals12]

Frankly am of the opinion that the best course of action with 84 in Hartford,  is complete reconstruction and partial / full depression.  Basically on or near current alignment.   Have seen some bizarre scenarios where it is tunneled to the S, or routed far to the N, making it even more indirect.   
Construct new alignment S of current in town aetna viaduct, provide for a ten lane cross - section with express lanes, full inner and outer shoulders.   Depress in trench, or "cut and cover" so it could be decked over.  Would clean up downtown quite a bit.   
Straighten and lower alignment within Hartford city limits.  Elimination of the remaining left exits and easing of multiple curves where possible.  Have not been on corridor in over fifteen years, perhaps some of the never built parkway and planned expressway stubs (Sisson Ave for example) are now Gone.  Not sure how "busway" could fit into this, perhaps as the far right lane, in each direction.

I think they should revive the old 284 scheme by extending the Whitehead Highway to 84, after widening it to 4 lanes and giving it sufficient clearance for trucks.

It would be a detour route while 84 is rebuilt and once finished, it would serve traffic going to Downtown from the West while 84 would serve through traffic.

[MATraveler128]

Frankly am of the opinion that the best course of action with 84 in Hartford,  is complete reconstruction and partial / full depression.  Basically on or near current alignment.   Have seen some bizarre scenarios where it is tunneled to the S, or routed far to the N, making it even more indirect.   
Construct new alignment S of current in town aetna viaduct, provide for a ten lane cross - section with express lanes, full inner and outer shoulders.   Depress in trench, or "cut and cover" so it could be decked over.  Would clean up downtown quite a bit.   
Straighten and lower alignment within Hartford city limits.  Elimination of the remaining left exits and easing of multiple curves where possible.  Have not been on corridor in over fifteen years, perhaps some of the never built parkway and planned expressway stubs (Sisson Ave for example) are now Gone.  Not sure how "busway" could fit into this, perhaps as the far right lane, in each direction.

I think they should revive the old 284 scheme by extending the Whitehead Highway to 84, after widening it to 4 lanes and giving it sufficient clearance for trucks.

It would be a detour route while 84 is rebuilt and once finished, it would serve traffic going to Downtown from the West while 84 would serve through traffic.

That would have been a great idea, I wish it was built. However, it would have been signed as I-484 as I-284 was to be used from I-84/CT 2 to I-291. It would have to be tunneled though to avoid Bushnell Park.