The ongoing, noisy, environmentally gruesome work being done at and around I-95 Exit 17 has many “06880” readers wondering: “WTF?”
Here’s the official word, from the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s “Welcome to the I-95 Norwalk Westport Project” website:
The Connecticut Department of Transportation announced the start of construction for the I-95 Resurfacing and Median Reconstruction Project to begin July 2022. Anticipated end date is November 1, 2024.
The purpose of this important roadway job is to improve driver safety. This will be achieved by;
- Reconstruction of the center median and right shoulders along with resurfacing of the highway mainline and ramps at Interchanges 16 and 17.
- Median will be reconstructed consistent with other stretches of I-95 to provide a 6-foot-wide capped concrete barrier section.
- Wider left and right shoulders where possible.
- Improve drainage by replacing and re-routing drainage structures
- Replacement of the existing highway illumination system
- Install new realigned Incident Management System (IMS)
- Install new guide rail
- Utilize wet retroreflective pavement markings to provide increased visibility of pavement markings in wet conditions.
Connecticut Department of Transportation I-95 project.
Additionally, several bridges along the corridor will have repairs and specifically, the I-95 over Route 33 (Saugatuck Avenue) will be replaced. A synopsis of the anticipated bridge improvements include:
- The bridge reconstruction of I-95 over Saugatuck Ave. (Route 33/136) will be replaced, utilizing an Accelerated Bridge Construction Methods called Lateral Slide, which minimizes the disruption to I-95 commuters.
- The I-95 over Franklin Street and I-95 over Saugatuck River bridges will have concrete deck repairs, the replacement of expansion joints and installation of new standpipes
- A portion of the structure will be replaced over a weekend, in which 2 lanes of traffic will be provided in each direction.
Proposed landscaping at and around I-95 in Saugatuck. (Click on or hover over to enlarge.)
Other improvements will include the expansion of the Hendricks Ave Park and Ride commuter lot, improved storm water quality treatment, utility relocation, I-95 NB Exit 16 on-ramp extension and the extension of the Yankee Doodle Trail.
Traffic will be maintained at all times during the 6 stages of construction to minimize disruptions to the traveling public.
That’s the official word.
“06880” reader Scott Singer has his own thoughts:
Do you or your sources have any info on who among our elected officials are responsible for monitoring the CT DOT work at Exit 17?
They have thus far removed every possible tree and natural sound/visual boundary, despite their map and plan of maintaining existing trees. It looks like a war zone there.
Exit 17 (Photo/Leslie Ogilvy via Westport Front Porch, Facebook)
For all the worry about Saving Saugatuck and trestle bridge repair, nothing is being done to care for the primary entrance to town.
What is the plan to replant? It’s horrendous there.
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Thanks for this Dan. I live right nearby and the daily , constant jackhammering has been challenging. I’d love to know when that phase of the project will cease!
A tree destroying, totally unnecessary boondoggle if ever there was one.
Some of the pain and discomfort this project is causing could have been ameliorated if Westport (like Darien, Greenwich, Fairfield…) enjoyed SOUND BARRIERS! We don’t have any. Everybody else does.
It feels like trees are being removed everywhere!
How about some actual major functional improvements to i-95 ? all this money spent on the Merritt parkway and i-95 constantly and no major functional improvements just to pad people’s pockets. Add a lane and alleviate peak hour delays or make breakdown lanes a usable lane during rush hour like many states.