A blue two-barrel tunnel, a mountain above, and three orange stylized lines with the text "Heroes Tunnel Project"

A two-barrel stone tunnel on Route 15 surrounded by lush autumn trees displaying red and green leaves

Heroes Tunnel Project

The Heroes Tunnel Project is a Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) initiative to improve the safety, reliability, and longevity of the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) tunnel system. This webpage serves as a central hub for project updates, documents, meeting information, and opportunities to get involved.

About

The Heroes Tunnel, originally known as the West Rock Tunnel, was constructed in 1949 and renamed in 2003 to honor Connecticut’s veterans. Consisting of two 1,200-foot-long horseshoe-shaped barrels, the tunnel carries two lanes of Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) traffic in each direction through the West Rock Ridge in New Haven County. It serves as a critical link along Route 15, accommodating thousands of vehicles daily.

CTDOT is undertaking a structural rehabilitation of the tunnel lining system while concurrently revisiting and completing the preliminary design for the life safety and fire protection upgrades at the Heroes Tunnel. This effort addresses critical infrastructure needs and advances safety improvements, with the project currently in the design and environmental review phases. The project area includes the tunnel and its approaches in the towns of Woodbridge, Hamden, and New Haven. Public input remains an important part of the process, helping to shape the outcomes.
Document with bottom right corner folded

Documents
Read previous plans, press releases, and documents.
Three people icons

Public Meetings
Learn more about upcoming public meetings in your community.
Chat bubble exchange

Contact Us
Connect with us to stay up to date as the project progresses.