Bridge Across Long Island Sound Could Be Studied Under Proposed Connecticut Bill

CONNECTICUT — Connecticut lawmakers are considering whether the state should study the feasibility of building a bridge across Long Island Sound, a long-debated idea that supporters say could reduce traffic and boost economic development.

A bill before the General Assembly would allow the state's Department of Economic and Community Development to study the feasibility of establishing a Connecticut Bridge Authority that could oversee funding and construction of a bridge connecting Connecticut and Long Island.

If the study is conducted, the agency would report its findings to lawmakers by Jan. 1, 2027.

The idea has generated both strong support and skepticism — and Patch readers can weigh in through a survey at the end of this story.

Easton developer Stephen Shapiro, who has been advocating for a cross-Sound bridge proposal, said worsening traffic congestion along Interstate 95 makes the concept worth revisiting.

"I-95 between Stamford and Bridgeport was built in the 1950s to handle about 70,000 cars a day," Shapiro said. "Today it carries closer to 150,000 to 180,000. Anyone who lives here knows how bad the congestion is."

Shapiro said a direct connection between Connecticut and Long Island could significantly reduce travel times for drivers currently navigating heavily congested highways.

"A trip that takes 75 minutes by ferry could take about 15 minutes by car," he said.

He believes Bridgeport would be the best location for the bridge in Connecticut because of its harbor and connections to north-south highways.

State Rep. Tony Scott, R-Monroe, said the proposal deserves consideration given the region's transportation challenges.

"While a new bridge might not solve all transit challenges along the shoreline, exploring alternatives is a good step forward," Scott said in written testimony to the legislature's Commerce Committee.

Scott said a bridge could attract new businesses, expand access to labor markets and strengthen tourism, while helping ease chronic congestion along I-95 and the Merritt Parkway.

Anthony Afriyie, chair of the Stratford Town Council, said examining the idea does not mean the state is committing to building the bridge.

"Supporting a study is not pre-judging the outcome," he said in written testimony.

However, state officials have raised questions about how such a study would be funded.

Daniel O'Keefe, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, opposed the study.

“This initiative was not built into the governor’s budget, so funding would have to be identified for such a study,” he said in testimony submitted to lawmakers.

The idea to build a bridge or tunnel across Long Island Sound has surfaced repeatedly over the last century, but proposals have struggled to gain political support amid concerns over cost, environmental impacts and engineering challenges.

Supporters say a feasibility study could help determine whether advances in engineering and transportation planning make the idea more viable today.

“We’ve built longer bridges than this before,” Shapiro said. “The question is whether we still have the will to do major infrastructure projects in this country.”'

But what do Patch readers think?

Would a bridge across Long Island Sound make travel easier — or would the noise and congestion near access points become more nuisance than convenience? Let us know in the survey below. We’ll publish the results here in about a week.