Introduction

Project History and Background

Transportation studies within the Route 82, 85 and 11 corridor area, generally from Colchester to Waterford, date back to the 1950s. Studies that continued over more than a decade led to construction of the first segment of Route 11, from Route 2 in Colchester to Route 82 in Salem, which was completed in 1972. While plans called for extension of Route 11 to the Interstate 95/Interstate 395 (I-95/I-395) area in Waterford, actual construction was deferred, due to funding constraints, in the late 1970s.

This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was initiated to address the existing and anticipated future congestion and safety problems along Routes 82 and 85 and to revisit the issues that have frustrated efforts to complete construction of Route 11 for over 25 years. Several potential alternative courses of action are examined in the DEIS and summarized, herein, in an effort to identify effective, affordable and environmentally sound strategies to address transportation deficiencies in the corridor.

In the fall of 1997, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) embarked on a Major Investment Study (MIS) to evaluate corridor conditions and narrow a broad range of potential alternatives, with the intention of later evaluating the "short list" of alternative strategies that appeared most suitable in greater detail through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation process (i.e., preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)). In late January 1998, the focus of the study was modified to combine both the MIS and EIS processes. In addition, the schedule for completion of the concurrent studies was accelerated.

The DEIS reflects the combined efforts associated with both studies, condensed into one complete volume. The Executive Summary volume provides an overview of the DEIS documentation.