WINDSOR, CT — The one-lane bottleneck that has frustrated I-291 commuters for nearly two months is expected to remain in place through the summer, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
But drivers waiting for the westbound Bissell Bridge to return to two lanes should not have to wait until the full rehabilitation project ends in 2027.
CTDOT reduced I-291 westbound to one 11-foot-wide lane between Exit 2 in South Windsor and Exit 1D in Windsor on June 18. Its public construction notice says that traffic pattern will continue "through the summer season," though the agency has not released a specific date for reopening the second lane.
The state also cautions that the schedule could be modified or extended because of weather or other unforeseen conditions.
The current lane reduction is part of the $16.874 million rehabilitation of the Bissell Bridge, which carries I-291 over the Connecticut River between South Windsor and Windsor.
McNamee Construction Corp. was awarded the state contract in May. The overall project is scheduled for completion on Nov. 12, 2027.
That end date does not mean I-291 westbound will remain a one-lane road until then. CTDOT's current advisory specifically applies the one-lane configuration to the summer 2026 construction phase. Other traffic changes may still be needed as work continues.
CTDOT says the work includes bridge-deck and structural-steel repairs, replacement of deck joints, substructure repairs, waterproofing and paving, safety improvements, spot painting and replacement of missing anchor bolts on bridge bearings.
The four-lane bridge dates to 1958 and was reconstructed in 1993. CTDOT says the work is intended to address deficiencies and keep the crossing in a state of good repair.
For now, the practical answer for commuters is that the current westbound bottleneck is expected to last through the rest of summer — but an exact date for restoring two lanes has not been publicly announced. Drivers can check CTroads for current traffic conditions and construction updates.
More information is available in CTDOT's construction advisory and on the agency's Bissell Bridge project page.
For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.
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