EAST LYME, Conn. — Heads up, travelers on Interstate 95! The Connecticut Department of Transportation will begin a major infrastructure project on the highway in East Lyme.
Gov. Ned Lamont and Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto made the announcement Wednesday morning.
The project includes improvements on a near mile and a half stretch of I-95, including reconfiguring the exit 74 interchange with Route 161, adding full-length acceleration lanes, and create12-foot shoulders.
Lamont and Eucalitto said that the improvements would help reduce the number of crashes in the area, allowing traffic to move safer and more freely.
On Route 161, otherwise known as Flanders Road, the project will add sidewalks and shoulders, helping to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
The bridge that spans Route 161 will also be replaced and the vertical clearance issues will be gone, according to the announcement.
The project also includes a project labor agreement, helping to train the next generation of tradespeople. Manafort Brothers In. was awarded the contract, valued at $148 million. The cost is 80% federally funded through Pres. Jo Biden's infrastructure law. The remaining 20% of the project is state-funded.
The project, in total, is expected to be completed in 2027.
Lamont praised the project and said it's not only a win for Easy Lyme, but for anyone who lives and does business in the region. According to Lamont, the current interchange configuration has resulted in nearly 200 crashes with more than 50 injuries between 2018 and 2021.
"This area is prone to crashes, which cause traffic delays and congestion," said Lamont. "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.”
Eucalitto echoed sentiments about improving safety and mobility for all of those that use the road in the area and also alleviating the congestion on I-95 in the area "caused by inadequate design and a high rate of crashes."
Track updates with the project here.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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