Long-Awaited Interchange 33 On I-95 In Stratford Fully Opens

STRATFORD, CT — The newly constructed Exit 33 Southbound off-ramp on I-95 opened to motorists on Friday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation announced.

The latest development follows the opening of the I-95 Exit 33 Northbound on-ramp last November. The Interchange 33 Project in Stratford made the area a full interchange, with on-and off-ramps accessible in both highway directions.

“This project has been in the making for many years, and now with both new ramps open, access to a major shopping and economic area in Stratford is more convenient,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti said in a news release. “I am pleased that we remain on schedule to have this project fully completed in time for the busy summer season. Thank you to our federal, state, and local partners who helped us make this project possible.”

Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly (R-Stratford) said Friday marked the “successful conclusion to a process long in the making.”

“This is significant to Stratford as it marks the closing chapter to the long story of Stratford’s toll plaza,” he said. “A toll that was bad for the environment, bad for traffic safety and commuters, and bad for local commerce and jobs. A toll that disrupted the flow of traffic, not only on I-95, but also the flow of traffic within our Town. The reopening of the Exit 33 on-ramp and now off-ramp, will provide Stratford with greater access to, and exit from, I-95; as well as an investment in our Route 1 corridor to improve traffic flow, enhance commerce, create jobs and broaden our local tax base.

“So many people worked together over many years to move this project forward. I thank Mayor Laura Hoydick for her leadership in Town and in Hartford, former Mayor and State Representative John Harkins, many members of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, DOT Commissioner Giulietti, former DOT Commissioner James Redeker and the entire State Department of Transportation, our federal government partners, Don Shubert, local labor and many more. Their efforts brought us to this point today.”

State Rep. Joe Gresko (D-Stratford) said, “Stratford has been waiting a long time for a fully functional interchange at Exit 33. Thanks to the DOT for their continued investment in Stratford, for affording residents improved convenience, and paving the way for improved economic growth.”

Stratford Mayor Laura Hoydick said the opening of the Southbound Exit 33 off-ramp of I-95 near Veterans Boulevard “completes the full interchange project which was left on the cutting room floor back in the 1950s when authorities wanted to prevent motorists from using the exit to avoid tolls at the Stratford Toll Plaza.”

“The omission of this exit at the time created decades of poor highway accessibility, traffic flow, and business access, which we finally correct today,” she said. “This off-ramp opening follows the opening of the on-ramp last fall, completing a project that serves as a true model of intergovernmental cooperation and support between the Town and the State, and bipartisan work with local legislators and town officials. I would also like to express thanks to former State Representative and Mayor John Harkins, who always kept this project at the forefront, and never let it leave our focus. We are thrilled to see it become a reality today.”

The Interchange 33 Project added an Exit 33 on-ramp for the Northbound Lane and off-ramp for the Southbound Lane, making it a full interchange. Roadwork on Ferry Boulevard and Barnum Avenue Cutoff, traffic signal work, and drainage improvements, were also included in this project. It was funded with 80 percent federal funding and 20 percent state funding, according to officials.

While the Exit 33 off-ramp opened Friday, workers will remain in the area over the next several weeks to finalize the project, officials said. Motorists are advised to “use caution in work zones: slow down, keep a safe distance, and stay alert.”

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