Site work and paving for a civil project in Newington, Connecticut. Completed plans call for site work for a bridge / tunnel; for paving for a bridge / tunnel; road / highway; and road / highway.

https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/CTDOT-Press-Releases/2024/CTDOT-Seeks-Public-Comment-on-Five-Year-Capital-Plan Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) Corridor Improvements in Norwalk and Westport. -------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.thetelegraph.com/connecticut/article/ct-meriden-interstate-91-691-route-15-interchange-18553771.php State transportation officials have quietly ramped up work on a nearly $500 million project overhauling one of central Connecticut’s most congested and headache-inducing highway corridors. On Thursday, the state Department of Transportation opened bidding for the second of three construction phases on the Meriden interchange formed by the merger of three highways — Interstates 91 and 691, as well as state Route 15 — that collectively carry around 260,000 vehicles every day. Where I-91 meets Route 15, the two highways form an X-shaped tangle of merging lanes, weaving traffic and exit ramps. As the two highways begin to split apart again to form the top of the “X,” they intersect with I-691, forming another web of entrances and exits. The complexity of the interchange, as well the narrow design of several connecting ramps, snarls traffic and contributes to a higher number of reported crashes than on other similar highway connectors, according to a 2019 report by highway consultant Parsons Corp. One particularly notorious segment of the interchange, the southbound, one-lane off ramp connecting I-91 with Route 15, routinely causes traffic to back up by as much as a mile. Northbound traffic travels near the Route 15, I-91 and I-691 interchange, in Meriden, Conn. Dec. 19, 2023. Northbound traffic travels near the Route 15, I-91 and I-691 interchange, in Meriden, Conn. Dec. 19, 2023.Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media “Anyone who has driven through the I-91/I-691/Route 15 interchange knows there are major backups and crashes, and that major improvements are needed,” Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement. “We’re moving forward with a multi-year program that will improve safety, reduce crashes, and ultimately reduce congestion.” Work began earlier this year on the initial, $85 million phase of the project to repair bridges, add one lane of traffic to I-91 north and make related road improvements, according to DOT spokesman Josh Morgan. The final two — and largest — phases of the project, however, will begin early next year and work is scheduled to last until 2029. Both of those phases will focus on restructuring the northbound and southbound interchanges between I-91 and the other highways. In October, the State Bond Commission agreed to borrow $31.7 million toward the second, northbound phase of the project, which is also slated to receive $220 million in federal funding. Southbound traffic travels near the Route 15, I-91 and I-691 interchange, in Meriden, Conn. Dec. 19, 2023. Southbound traffic travels near the Route 15, I-91 and I-691 interchange, in Meriden, Conn. Dec. 19, 2023.Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media The new interchanges between I-91 and Route 15 will each have two lanes of traffic in either direction to ease the flow of traffic, according to planning documents. Workers will widen three other existing exit ramps, while removing Exit 17 on I-91 northbound and reroute traffic onto the new two-lane off ramp at Exit 16, which will connect to both Route 15 and East Main Street. Construction of the existing interchange was completed in the 1960s, and proponents of the project argue that it has become outdated both in its design and its ability to handle a growing volume of traffic traveling through central Connecticut. “Depending on the time of day, it’s certainly one of the top three or four problem areas in the state of Connecticut,” said state Rep, Roland Lemar, D-New Haven, who serves as co-chair of the Transportation Committee. Newsletter promotional image made with Canva Newsletters: Get local news delivered directly to you More news OUR PAST: Weaponry vital at Western Military Academy Jerseyville felon charged with possession of stolen gun Madison men charged with intent to deliver cannabis The area of the project will extend from where I-91 crosses the Wallingford-Meriden town line to the weigh station in Middletown, a distance of roughly 4.2 miles. Other sections of both Route 15 and I-691 will also undergo repairs. Southbound traffic travels near the Route 15, I-91 and I-691 interchange, in Meriden, Conn. Dec. 19, 2023. Southbound traffic travels near the Route 15, I-91 and I-691 interchange, in Meriden, Conn. Dec. 19, 2023.Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Morgan, the DOT spokesman, said the agency will aim to conduct much of the necessary roadwork at night, while spacing out lane and exit closures over the project’s six-year timeline in order to minimize the impact on drivers. Still, he cautioned, the project “certainly may create some additional traffic congestion over the next couple of years,” and urged patience among those traveling through the area. The alternative, he noted, would involve completely shutting down highways in order to speed up construction. Earlier this year, the DOT began another project renumbering exits along I-691 to a mileage based system, conforming to federal standards. That project is expected to be completed in mid-2024. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State Project Number(s) & Description: State Project No. 0079-0246; I-91, I-691, & Rte 15 Interchange Northbound Improvements in Meriden Required Prequalification Work Classification(s): 7 - Road Construction and Rehabilitation: Limited Access Highways/Freeways or 9 - Intermediate Bridges Except when otherwise specified in the bid documents, no proposal will be considered unless; (a) it is accompanied by a proposal guaranty from a surety company in the form of the Department's (CTDOT) standard bid bond form furnished by the Department, as may be revised, satisfactory to the Commissioner, in an amount equal to at least 30% of the amount of the bid; or (b) the bidder has on file in the Contract Section a current Department (CTDOT) standard annual bid bond form, satisfactory to the Commissioner, on the form furnished by the Department. Pre-bid Questions and Answers: Questions Pertaining to Dot Advertised Construction Projects Must Be Presented Through the Ctdot Pre-bid Q and a Website. The Department Cannot Guarantee That All Questions Will Be Answered Prior to the Bid Date. Please Note - at 9:00 Am Monday (I.e. Typical Wednesday Bid Opening) the Project(S) Being Bid Will Be Closed for Questions, at Which Time Questions Can No Longer Be Submitted Through the Q and a Website. Answers May Be Provided by the Department Up to 12:00 Noon, the Day Before the Bid. At This Time, the Q And a for Those Projects Will Be Considered Final, Unless Otherwise Stated and/or the Bid is Postponed to a Future Date and Time to Allow for Further Questions and Answers to Be Posted. If a Question Needs to Be Asked the Day Before the Bid Date, Please Contact the Contracts Unit Staff and Email Your Question to Dotcontracts@ct.gov Immediately. The Commissioner of Transportation reserves the right to reject any and all bids.