Connecticut News

[shadyjay]

In better news...

Travelled the US 6 Willimantic Bypass, I-384, I-84 from Vernon to Union and the Wilbur Cross Parkway from Meriden down to North Haven this past weekend.  US 6 and I-384 sign replacement is "essentially" complete... the only signs left are previously-replaced spot replacements that haven't been replaced yet.  Whether they get forgotten or not remains to be seen, like one on I-91 South in Wallingford.  Was surprised to see signs up already on the WCP.  Not all ground mounts are replaced and no overhead work I could see (through the 2'+ deep snow).  Only went from I-91 down to Route 22 in North Haven.

Nice to see normal state route shields posted on the new signs... no outlines, no thick shields, proper sized numerals, etc. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/shadyjay/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/shadyjay/

[kurumi]

IMO I-84/86 after reconstruction was the gold standard for CT BGSes until they adopted aligned exit tabs and other modernizations. Glad to see the replacement signs look just as good.

Also, interesting to see "UConn" on the CT 195 BGS on US 6. A wider sign would have room for a 🏀 emoji :-)

[RobbieL2415]

IMO I-84/86 after reconstruction was the gold standard for CT BGSes until they adopted aligned exit tabs and other modernizations. Glad to see the replacement signs look just as good.

Also, interesting to see "UConn" on the CT 195 BGS on US 6. A wider sign would have room for a 🏀 emoji :-)

40+ years of life on an entire set of BGSs is impressive -- and with only 2 spot replacements that I can think of.

[shadyjay]

The good...

What amazes me is that the Connecticut Turnpike in Branford and Guilford is only on its 2nd sign iteration since the road opened in 1958.  The original blue all-text signage between Exits 54 & 59 was replaced in 1993 with "Phase III" button copy and is still holding strong. 


The bad...

My aforementioned US 6 error shield which should be a CT 9 shield.  Higganum center, Haddam CT
CT154SB-Higganum by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

[hotdogPi]

I missed a chance for a photo, but there's a US 89 shield on I-84 westbound at about mile 89.5. I believe it's for a CT 89 detour, but the signs that were not the error shield were covered in tarp.

[shadyjay]

Yeah, I got that Sunday...

84EB-Exit73-> by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

I'm more accepting to this vs the US 6 abomination in Haddam, chief reason being at least its the right number.  And given its for a detour, its temporary.  The "US 6" shield is not meant to be temporary.  If it was a US 9 shield, maybe I'd let it slide, just for the coolness factor, but they couldn't even get the number right in Higganum!

Contractor detour signs have always been interesting.  There was a detour in the early 2000s in downstate NY on I-684 with numerous "US 22" shields.  There was also the Governor St offramp from I-84 East detour which utilized "CT 500" shields (kind of pointless not even saying Governor St, as 500 is the internal designation for the northern mixmaster ramps).  Still, any time a "secret" route is signed to the public, it's kinda cool (unless we're talking about the overpass ID signs, which now routinely mention their SSR #). 

[Great Lakes Roads]

CTDOT has plans to improve the exit 46 (or exit 59 for the sequential people) interchange on CT Route 15 in New Haven.

[Mergingtraffic]

Wasn't there a sign project coming up for I-84 to do the last stretch of signage and update the whole way with exit numbers and spot replacements? I thought it was January and now don't see anything about it at all.

[bob7374]

Wasn't there a sign project coming up for I-84 to do the last stretch of signage and update the whole way with exit numbers and spot replacements? I thought it was January and now don't see anything about it at all.

The date for advertisement of the CTDOT I-84 exit renumbering project was moved to Feb. 18. The I-91 project advertisement date has not moved, still April 22.

[RobbieL2415]

Massive accident on I-84 WB this morning between Exits 59-58. Traffic was diverted at Exit 61 onto I-291 and to I-384 from the C/D, and traffic trying to make the move from I-384 WB onto I-84 WB were forced onto the eastbound CD. Was an absolute mess. Not sure what happened.

[Rothman]

Massive accident on I-84 WB this morning between Exits 59-58. Traffic was diverted at Exit 61 onto I-291 and to I-384 from the C/D, and traffic trying to make the move from I-384 WB onto I-84 WB were forced onto the eastbound CD. Was an absolute mess. Not sure what happened.

It's called "it's cold enough out there to freeze your Winnebago" weather.  No reason to be out there unless you have to be.

[kurumi]

The 6/44 interchange in Bolton is getting another look: https://www.ctinsider.com/journalinquirer/article/ct-route-6-44-interchange-bolton-21319915.php

This proposal, from CRCOG, is basically a diamond interchange where US 6 is the mainline. Pedestrian and trail access is improved.

[RobbieL2415]

Massive accident on I-84 WB this morning between Exits 59-58. Traffic was diverted at Exit 61 onto I-291 and to I-384 from the C/D, and traffic trying to make the move from I-384 WB onto I-84 WB were forced onto the eastbound CD. Was an absolute mess. Not sure what happened.

It's called "it's cold enough out there to freeze your Winnebago" weather.  No reason to be out there unless you have to be.

I was out because I had to go to pick up my new eyeglasses. The show had stopped by then.

I believe a tractor trailer was involved.

For some reason, the CMS at Exit 66 wasn't warning about it, but the one before Exit 61 was. So I had to get on 291 all the way to US 5, go back the other way, back on to 84 E, get of at Exit 63, turn back and go WB so I could get off at 62/60 to use the CD to I-384.

[kurumi]

Many departments have a snowplow naming contest, and CTDOT just wrapped up theirs: https://portal.ct.gov/dot/ctdot-press-releases/2026/ctdot-announces-winners-for-the-statewide-snowplow-naming-contest?language=en_US

No "Plowy McPlowface" on the winners list, but "Sled Zeppelin" and "Snow‑Be‑Gone Kenobi" are among some clever puns.

[dantheman]

The 6/44 interchange in Bolton is getting another look: https://www.ctinsider.com/journalinquirer/article/ct-route-6-44-interchange-bolton-21319915.php

This proposal, from CRCOG, is basically a diamond interchange where US 6 is the mainline. Pedestrian and trail access is improved.

I agree... huge improvement for the trail access there. It is very odd to have no ped/bike access between Quarry Road to the north and Notch Road or the Hop River trail. Smoothing out the curve on 6 WB is nice too.

I would be curious if traffic on Notch Road increases substantially as a better route between Bolton and points east, now that it's possible to access Notch from 44 WB. Seems like that would be far better than CT 85, especially with the lack of a direct ramp from 384 to 85.

The image shows two separate bridges for each side of US 6 over 44/Notch. For people who know more than me - wouldn't it be cheaper to make it a single bridge with two-way traffic? Seems unnecessary to keep them separate since the two sides merge just east of there anyway, unless CTDOT is still setting up for an eventual US 6 freeway to Willimantic (which I highly doubt).

[storm2k]

Many departments have a snowplow naming contest, and CTDOT just wrapped up theirs: https://portal.ct.gov/dot/ctdot-press-releases/2026/ctdot-announces-winners-for-the-statewide-snowplow-naming-contest?language=en_US

No "Plowy McPlowface" on the winners list, but "Sled Zeppelin" and "Snow‑Be‑Gone Kenobi" are among some clever puns.

I'm glad Plowy McPlowface didn't get in there. That joke has long gotten stale. The ones that did win are all pretty good though.

[bob7374]

Wasn't there a sign project coming up for I-84 to do the last stretch of signage and update the whole way with exit numbers and spot replacements? I thought it was January and now don't see anything about it at all.

The date for advertisement of the CTDOT I-84 exit renumbering project was moved to Feb. 18. The I-91 project advertisement date has not moved, still April 22.

It appears something is up with the I-84 exit renumbering project. A check today of the CT government contract Bid Board found no listing for the I-84 project. A check of the CTDOT 12-month project advertisement list, updated Jan. 29, showed no listing for the I-84 project at all. Guess the good news is that the I-91 project is still listed, at least for now.
NEW: A check of a new 2/17 advertising list lead to the same result. There are no signing related contracts to be advertised after the spring.

[shadyjay]

My aforementioned US 6 error shield which should be a CT 9 shield.  Higganum center, Haddam CT
CT154SB-Higganum by Jay Hogan, on Flickr

Drove by this afternoon and the "US 6" shield has been replaced with a "CT 9" shield.

[RobbieL2415]

Contract is posted for rehabbing the Bissell Bridge. Structural steel repair, mostly.

I-291 will be reduced to one lane in each direction, though not at the same time.

[MikeTheActuary]

Contract is posted for rehabbing the Bissell Bridge. Structural steel repair, mostly.

I-291 will be reduced to one lane in each direction, though not at the same time.

That's going to suck.

Note to self: Prepare to become much more familiar with the Dexter Coffin bridge, and Route 5 in East and South Windsor.

[The Ghostbuster]

Is being a four-lane freeway sufficient for the traffic demands of the Interstate 291 corridor?

[sharkyfour]

Is being a four-lane freeway sufficient for the traffic demands of the Interstate 291 corridor?

As someone who traveled it two weeknights a week for a few years, I'd say that at rush hour it's not sufficient, but other than that, I think it generally is.  If a full beltway had come to fruition, it probably wouldn't be, but for now, it's usually sufficient.

And honestly, if there weren't a ton of school busses limited to 50 MPH in the evening, it would probably be OK.

[RobbieL2415]

Is being a four-lane freeway sufficient for the traffic demands of the Interstate 291 corridor?

As someone who traveled it two weeknights a week for a few years, I'd say that at rush hour it's not sufficient, but other than that, I think it generally is.  If a full beltway had come to fruition, it probably wouldn't be, but for now, it's usually sufficient.

And honestly, if there weren't a ton of school busses limited to 50 MPH in the evening, it would probably be OK.

It needs an aux lane between Exits 1D and 2. That would speed things up dramatically during rush hour.

A full freeway connection to CT 218 would help, too.

[MikeTheActuary]

Is being a four-lane freeway sufficient for the traffic demands of the Interstate 291 corridor?

Four lanes is fine, although the bridge is prone to backups during rush hour.  LOS C is typical between exits 1D and 2 after the morning commute, before the evening commute, as long as there is no lane closure.

However, any lane closure along 291 during the daytime, particularly one impacting the bridge, causes a nasty backup.  An eastbound lane closure during the evening commute also brings the potential of spilling back onto I-91, which can have its own capacity issues at those times.

If the bridge were in need of full replacement, I would hope that the replacement project left I-291 with six lanes between exits 1C and 2.  However, traffic volumes are not sufficient to justify replacing the bridge early.

[RobbieL2415]

Someone (or something) took a chuck out of the parapet on this bridge on I-84 WB in Manchester.

Approximate location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/drtCtzM2UiNiMhEs8