New Haven Fights Massive Bridge Expansion

1/5/1999

In January, the Connecticut Department of Transportation announced plans to double the size of the I-95 Quinnipiac River "Q" Bridge in New Haven to 10 lanes (see MTR #205). ConnDOT's plan ignored numerous transit and ridesharing recommendations developed by the Intermodal Concept Development Committee (ICDC), an advisory panel that had worked on the traffic problem for years.

ConnDOT's move has now boomeranged in the form of fierce opposition from municipal leaders. On Wednesday, the 15 mayors who make up the South Central Regional Council of Governments declined to back the bridge widening project. Council members insisted that the DOT add bus and train service in the corridor, and set to work on its own set of recommendations for such improvements.

Only after both sides agree on a plan will the council approve funding for the $800 million dollar project.

According to the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, ICDC's recommendations, including transit improvements, would cost between $450 and $500 million less than DOT's proposal. Furthermore, DOT's own estimates show that ICDC's proposal would avoid  3,000 car trips on I-95 every day.

Note:  This article was forwarded to QRWA for inclusion on our web page; QRWA participated in the ICDC, and is also concerned that committee recomendations were not respected.  However, we are not responsible for the accuracy of the details of this article; the source is another local newsletter, but the sender forgot which one!  Please let us know if you know.

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