New Safety Measures Planned After 9-Vehicle I-291 Crash

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — New safety measures are planned along Interstate 291 following a nine-vehicle crash that injured six people near the Bissell Bridge construction zone Monday morning.

The crash happened around 7:45 a.m. on I-291 West near Exit 2 as vehicles approached slowing traffic, according to Connecticut State Police.

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A tractor-trailer struck vehicles ahead of it, leading to a series of collisions involving eight other vehicles. Among them was a Capitol Region Education Council school van carrying a 12-year-old student.

Six people were taken to hospitals. A 63-year-old East Hampton man suffered serious injuries, while five others had minor or possible injuries, according to state police. The student and the van's driver were among those who suffered minor injuries.

The tractor-trailer driver was not injured. State police said the crash remains under investigation.

The highway was closed for several hours as first responders treated those involved, cleared the damaged vehicles and addressed spilled vehicle fluids. Patch initially reported on the crash Monday morning.

Following the wreck, state Sen. Saud Anwar met Wednesday with Connecticut Department of Transportation officials to discuss safety along the stretch of highway.

Anwar said CTDOT plans to add warning signs and speed indicators, along with automated work-zone speed cameras. He also asked the agency to consider whether earlier warnings, improved visibility, additional signage or other traffic-flow changes could help drivers approaching the work zone.

"With the ongoing rehabilitation of the Bissell Bridge and traffic narrowing to one lane, backups can develop quickly," Anwar wrote. "The hill and limited visibility approaching this area can make those backups particularly dangerous."

Anwar said the goal of the changes is to encourage drivers to reduce their speed before reaching stopped or slow-moving traffic.

"This is not about giving people tickets," he wrote. "It is about preventing another crash and protecting lives."

CTDOT has not announced when the additional signs or cameras will be installed.

Westbound traffic has been reduced to one 11-foot-wide lane between Exit 2 in South Windsor and Exit 1D in Windsor since June 18. Patch previously reported that the lane reduction is expected to remain in place through the summer, although CTDOT has not provided a specific date for restoring the second lane.

The traffic pattern is part of a $16.9 million rehabilitation of the Bissell Bridge. The larger project, which includes paving, structural repairs, joint reconstruction and safety improvements, is scheduled for completion in November 2027.

Drivers approaching the bridge are being asked to reduce their speed and be prepared for traffic to stop.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.