CT Considers Widening I-84, I-95

By BARBARA HEINS (Patch Staff)

Photo: Gov. Dannel Malloy via Twitter.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy on Thursday released a report that suggests widening the I-84 corridor between Danbury and Waterbury as well as the Connecticut Turnpike from Greenwich to Stonington are needed to help grow the state’s economy.

The governor unveiled an analysis conducted by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) that “shows significant economic benefits to the state’s economy by widening Connecticut’s interstate highways.” The report indicates that adding a travel lane in each direction of I-95 “border-to-border from Greenwich to North Stonington, as well as on I-84 between Waterbury and Danbury, Connecticut will see economic benefits of nearly $40 billion – about four times the cost of both project.”

“The economic benefits of upgrading our infrastructure come in the form of new business sales, new wage income to workers, and an increase in Connecticut’s gross state product. We need to build a brighter economic future, and it starts with fixing our transportation now,” Malloy said in a statement. The report said the state’s tourism, retail and manufacturing sectors would benefit from the two projects.

• What do you think? Would more travel lanes on I-84 and I-95 in Connecticut help New Yorkers? Let us know in the comments section.

According to the CTDOT, adding a lane in each direction on I-95 across southern Connecticut will produce $15.5 billion in new business sales, add $9 billion to Connecticut’s gross state product, and add $6.3 billion in new wage income to workers. The widening itself will cost $10.7 billion, according to CTDOT’s estimates, and support between 11,000 and 19,000 construction jobs over a 10-year ramp-up period.

The I-84 widening project between Danbury and Waterbury will produce $4.4 billion in new business sales, add $2.6 billion to Connecticut’s gross state product, and add $1.8 billion in new wage income to workers, the economic analysis concluded. The total cost of the project is $1.5 billion and will support 4,000 construction jobs.

In addition, by easing congestion, economic output grows. The analysis found that adding a lane in each direction border-to-border will save I-95 travelers well over 14 million hours of delays by the year 2040. Likewise, the widening of I-84 will save travelers over 4.7 million hours of delays during the same period.