Press Releases
04/26/2023
Governor Lamont Announces Start of Construction on I-95 Exit 74 Project in East Lyme
$148 Million Safety Improvement Project Supported by Funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
(EAST LYME, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto today announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is starting construction on a major infrastructure project in East Lyme.
The project includes major improvements on a 1.3-mile stretch of I-95, including reconfiguring the Exit 74 interchange, adding full length acceleration lanes, and creating 12-foot shoulders. These improvements will help reduce the number of crashes in the area and allow traffic to move safer and more freely. On Route 161, the project includes adding sidewalks and shoulders which will improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and mobility. The bridge over Route 161 will also be replaced, and the vertical clearance issues will be eliminated. The project also includes a project labor agreement, which helps train the next generation of tradespeople.
The current interchange configuration has resulted in nearly 200 crashes with more than 50 injuries between 2018 and 2021.
Manafort Brothers Inc. was awarded the contract, valued at $148 million, which is 80% federally funded through President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the remaining 20% is state funded. It is expected to be completed in 2027.
Governor Lamont said, “Improving access to the highway and enhancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety is win for East Lyme and everyone who lives and does business in the region. This area is prone to crashes, which cause traffic delays and congestion. This project is significant for the safety and mobility of all who are using our roadway infrastructure. We have several major infrastructure improvement projects underway in Connecticut thanks to President Biden’s infrastructure law, and I am glad that we are able to invest this money toward improving the areas of our roads, bridges, and public transit where it is needed most.”
Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said, “We know that how we design and maintain our roadways can impact driving conditions – affecting traffic, contributing to or preventing delays, and determining the likelihood of accidents. With the needed improvements to I-95 here in East Lyme, we will see good jobs under the project labor agreement, improved driving conditions, and a smoother experience for those driving through beautiful East Lyme. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make today possible. I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition.”
Commissioner Eucalitto said, “This major infrastructure project improves the safety and mobility for all roadway users in the area. We will be able to alleviate the congestion on I-95 in this area currently caused by inadequate design and a high rate of crashes. While working in this area, we want to make sure to improve the safety of walkers and bikers through the corridor by building new sidewalks. Thanks to the federal infrastructure law, we are able to kick-start more projects and make a safer transportation system for all.”
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “This milestone project aims to untie a major traffic knot on our busiest interstate, making great use of federal infrastructure dollars. As one who has endured this stretch of road – often caught in backups – I’m looking forward to a speedier and safer ride. This federal-state partnership, which Governor Lamont has helped lead, is a national model.”
U.S. Representative Joe Courtney said (CT-02), “Today’s groundbreaking shows once again how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is paying dividends across our region. We all know that the I-95 plays a critical role in our region’s economic activity. Yet, the highway’s congestion signals the urgent need to modernize this important throughway. The I-95 East Lyme Exit 74 project will alleviate congestion, improve driver safety, and ensure the highway is resilient for decades to come. I applaud Governor Lamont’s swift deployment of Connecticut’s formula funding from USDOT for this long overdue upgrade.”
Updates regarding this project’s development will be regularly published online at i-95eastlyme.com.
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