[JayCT]

I am not sure if people saw this or not but thought I would add it to the discussion. Congressman John Larson is proposing to build a massive tunnel under Hartford for I-84 and for I-91. The I-84 tunnel would start near Roberts Street in East Hartford and end near the Flatbush Avenue exit in western Hartford. He also wants to place I-91 in a tunnel along the Connecticut River. He says the plan will cost $10 billion but I am not sure that is quite enough. Boston's Big Dig was $14 billion and that was 20 years ago. Apparently he has already had high-level discussions with the Federal Highway Administration about the plan and they have not said no. He seems to feel the federal money is there for the asking so this pie-in-the-sky idea has some chance of becoming a reality. We will see.

So what do you think? Is this a viable idea? I know it would be nice but I do worry that the cost is going to be excessive and out of reach for the state. Jay

State DOT And Local Leaders Proceed With Caution On $10 Billion Highway Tunnel Proposal - Hartford Courant

[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I am not sure if people saw this or not but thought I would add it to the discussion. Congressman John Larson is proposing to build a massive tunnel under Hartford for I-84 and for I-91. The I-84 tunnel would start near Roberts Street in East Hartford and end near the Flatbush Avenue exit in western Hartford. He also wants to place I-91 in a tunnel along the Connecticut River. He says the plan will cost $10 billion but I am not sure that is quite enough. Boston's Big Dig was $14 billion and that was 20 years ago. Apparently he has already had high-level discussions with the Federal Highway Administration about the plan and they have not said no. He seems to feel the federal money is there for the asking so this pie-in-the-sky idea has some chance of becoming a reality. We will see.

So what do you think? Is this a viable idea? I know it would be nice but I do worry that the cost is going to be excessive and out of reach for the state. Jay

State DOT And Local Leaders Proceed With Caution On $10 Billion Highway Tunnel Proposal - Hartford Courant

Waste of money IMO. If the state is going to ask for $10 billion for transportation improvements, use it on 95/Merritt/Metro North.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Mike 75

Waste of money IMO. If the state is going to ask for $10 billion for transportation improvements, use it on 95/Merritt/Metro North.

I think most of the 1.4 million people who live in the state's largest metropolitan area may disagree with you but I do agree the state needs to do something about I-95 first. Jay

[Beeker2211]

I 95 has been going through constant improvement projects, albeit mostly small and non-newsworthy (other than the Wheeler Mosses and Q projects). The I 84 viaducts are at the very end of their safe life span, will only cost way more to do remedial work from this point on, and ultimately might hurt people from literally falling apart.

I live on the I 95 corridor but I think I 84 into and out of Hartford needs a massive overhaul first.

[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

I 95 has been going through constant improvement projects, albeit mostly small and non-newsworthy (other than the Wheeler Mosses and Q projects). The I 84 viaducts are at the very end of their safe life span, will only cost way more to do remedial work from this point on, and ultimately might hurt people from literally falling apart.

I live on the I 95 corridor but I think I 84 into and out of Hartford needs a massive overhaul first.

Larson's plan is buying a Ferrari when all you need is a Ford. I agree that the 84 viaduct needs to be replaced, but creating a Big Dig like project by putting it underground along with 91 is a waste and totally unnecessary. I guess he has to justify his reelection somehow.

[7express]

Originally Posted by ads94

Good riddance. I always hated stopping to pay for tolls. I got an EZPass through the MassDOT and it has saved me so much time and hassle when I travel on the Mass Pike or through New York. I would not be opposed to tolls on the CT borders if they used the same gantries they are installing on the Pike.

Ever noticed how like every other car you see on the highway is from New Jersey, New York, or Massachusetts?? We get raped by the tolls when we have to travel through those stakes, but people from those states drive through CT for free and cause more congestion on a road that's already congested enough. I still stand by my idea from 3 or 4 years ago with a slight change: Add tolls on the Merritt in Greenwich, on 95 in Stonington, on 91 in Enfield and on 84 in in Union and Danbury. If you have a permanent address in Connecticut OR you have a full time job in Connecticut but live out of state (i.e live in Rye but work in Stamford) you get a break on the tolls, maybe like 50% off, or every 3 you go through you travel through the 4th for free.

[ads94]

Originally Posted by 7express

Ever noticed how like every other car you see on the highway is from New Jersey, New York, or Massachusetts?? We get raped by the tolls when we have to travel through those stakes, but people from those states drive through CT for free and cause more congestion on a road that's already congested enough. I still stand by my idea from 3 or 4 years ago with a slight change: Add tolls on the Merritt in Greenwich, on 95 in Stonington, on 91 in Enfield and on 84 in in Union and Danbury. If you have a permanent address in Connecticut OR you have a full time job in Connecticut but live out of state (i.e live in Rye but work in Stamford) you get a break on the tolls, maybe like 50% off, or every 3 you go through you travel through the 4th for free.

I think that is too complex. I agree on how ridiculous the tolls are out of state (I blow through maybe $100 a year in MA/NY/NJ), and they come through and pay nothing. Your way would probably be good. Instead of having some complex system where you only pay 50pc upfront, you instead have the ability to deduct half the cost of total tolls paid (which the state would have a record of if we went to the full EZPass/Plate billing system MA uses). No need to slow down for them and pay with cash, the state has a record of it, and if you file CT taxes you obviously A. Live here or B. Work here, meaning no one who uses the tolls won't get screwed out of the discount.

[HumpDay]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I think most of the 1.4 million people who live in the state's largest metropolitan area may disagree with you but I do agree the state needs to do something about I-95 first. Jay

1.4 million people don't use Interstate 84 daily though. The metros population isn't growing fast enough for this to even be an option. Just redo that few mile stretch in Hartford and leave the rest alone because that area is where the traffic starts. Widening highways doesn't get rid of traffic. The only option is promoting mass transit.

[BeyondtheHorizon]

Originally Posted by HumpDay

. Widening highways doesn't get rid of traffic. The only option is promoting mass transit.

So if the merritt was reduced to one lane and 95 was 2 lanes each way there'd be the SAME level of traffic since widening doesn't decrease congestion? Or what about getting rid of the merrit completely. I mean that would save the state money if your theory was correct since it means less road maintenance right? This is propoganda by "green" special interest groups that have manipulated statistics for their own agenda. If you have a rapidly growing area you simply can't widen FAST enough to keep up with demand. If you didn't widen at all it would be even worse.

Most people don't want to take mass transit and like their cars. Let's be realistic. Never mind that CT is too spread out for mass transit to be the major method of transport for the majority.

You have an increasing metro(which includes ny/nj/ma) population using these roads. If you increase population and keep the roads the same width congestion will just get worse and worse.

You can't build a road 70 years ago and never widen it and expect traffic levels to stay the same.

All that being said, I would fix 95 first and I would look at MUCH cheaper alternative than the tunnel for hfd area.

[MrGompers]

According to about half the membership on this board CT is losing thousands of residents a month so I don't see why we need to expand any roads. Within 10 years or so we should be under 2 million population (from the 3.5 million we have now)

I can't wait until that day comes and have the place to myself.