[randomlolz]

I live in Danbury, CT. They just replaed the bridge on the state line of CT and NY. But now, the bridge that was replaced gas a massive left shoulder, big enough to carry another lane. Also, the ride in Brewster over the Croton River on I-84 got a widened left shoulder a few years ago. Are there any widening plans from Brewster, NY to somewhere in CT?

[randomlolz]

Correction: replaced by* a massive...

Auto-correct changed it

[Off-beat]

I really hope i-84 doesn't get widened in any part of Connecticut.

[smackfu]

There are various sections that have already been widened. I know the Southbury area did it a few years ago. Generally increasing the width of the shoulders and redoing the barriers is considered upgrading the highway to modern standards, so I think it's easier to get federal funding for. And after seeing how much work it takes just to widen the shoulder on a bridge (basically building a whole new bridge that is 3 feet wide), I have no problem with them future-proofing it and adding enough space for a whole lane.

There are also plans to widen 84 from two to three lanes in Waterbury. I think that is finally going forward after being in limbo for a few years. That should be a good change, since that merge going East is always a mess.

[mikelizard860]

Originally Posted by Off-beat

I really hope i-84 doesn't get widened in any part of Connecticut.

Why? So you can have a major traffic jam every single day? I-84 In waterbury goes down to 2 lanes and causes enormous backups every day. I-84 should be 3 lanes all the way to hartford where the highway should be widened and straigtnened to 4 lanes.

[Mr_250]

Originally Posted by smackfu

There are also plans to widen 84 from two to three lanes in Waterbury. I think that is finally going forward after being in limbo for a few years. That should be a good change, since that merge going East is always a mess.

Work is bidding next year. It is about a $450M project, not sure of the time frame. This work will includes widening from Cheshire to about the mix master (not sure of the exact locations). This project is well warranted.

[MrIDontKnow]

I dont know. I know it might get widened in Waterbury, but in Danbury...never heard of it. I know they are rebuilding exit 5 and 6 and just replaced the bridges at Dingle Ridge, but never heard about widening. I saw the same thing over that bridge, the massive left shoulder. Also, the bridge over the Croton River was wide too. Dont know.

[JayCT]

I know the state has long range plans to widen I-84 in Danbury but it is not a high priority given other projects that need funding. There is talking of doing it if they can implement tolling on the highway but that will not be easy. The reason for the extra wide bridges are likely twofold. The first is that they need a certain width of the bridge to maintain/repair/rebuild it in the future. The problem they face when they need to repair the bridge is that there is no where to move traffic when the are working on it. With an extra wide bridge, they move traffic to one half while they fix the other half, then switch it and fix the final half. The second reason, which no one will publicly admit, is that if they do decide to widen, the bridge is pretty much done. Jay

[Off-beat]

Originally Posted by mikelizard860

Why? So you can have a major traffic jam every single day? I-84 In waterbury goes down to 2 lanes and causes enormous backups every day. I-84 should be 3 lanes all the way to hartford where the highway should be widened and straigtnened to 4 lanes.

It's hugely unpopular. Everyone I know wants 84 kept the way it is.

[mikelizard860]

Originally Posted by Off-beat

It's hugely unpopular. Everyone I know wants 84 kept the way it is.

That's total b.s.
Go talk to the drivers stuck on it everyday in bumper to bumper traffic. No commuters want it kept the way it is.