Waterbury Mixmaster replacement narrowed to two options costing $3B to $5B
WATERBURY — The state Department of Transportation is
evaluating two options for replacing the so-called Mixmaster interchange of
highway bridges in Waterbury following a $223.7 million rehabilitation of the
crossroads of Interstate
84 and Route 8.
The first option for the
"New Mix" program called the "Modern Crossover
Interchange" would involve reconstructing Route 8 ramps and bridges to the
east of the Naugatuck River.
The second option labeled the "Naugatuck River
Shift" would move the river toward the east to provide space for
unstacking the series of Route 8 ramps and bridges.
The DOT on Tuesday announced the selection of these two
options after reviewing and analyzing potential designs for the permanent
replacement of the interchanges that carry I-84 and Route 8 over downtown
Waterbury streets and the Naugatuck River. The two selected alternatives are
projected to cost $3 billion to $5 billion in 2022 dollars.
Built in 1968, the intricate network of stacked, overlapping
bridges and elevated ramps was dubbed the Mixmaster after a trademarked stand
kitchen mixer made by Sunbeam Products. At that time, the interchange was
considered innovative because the stacked bridges allowed the crossroads of
I-84 and Route 8 over the Naugatuck River to be constructed in a smaller
footprint. It originally had a life span of 50 years.
“The Mixmaster was once a modern engineering marvel, but
today it no longer meets the needs of travelers and the greater Waterbury
community," DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement.
"We’re excited to move this plan forward, which was based on what we heard
directly from residents and businesses. This transformative initiative will
change how people safely and conveniently travel through and around Waterbury.”
The Mixmaster was designed to accommodate approximately
100,000 motor vehicle trips a day, but that number has nearly doubled to
190,000 vehicle trips per day. By 2045, the DOT is expecting the number of
daily trips to approach 225,000. The wear and tear from all that use required
multiple major rehabilitation projects over the years.
The DOT last November announced the
completion of a $223.7 million project to rehabilitate interchange
structurally and extend its life span 25 years while plans for a permanent
replacement are made. Work on the renovations started in 2018.
Workers replaced decks on 21 spans on Route 8 southbound,
and 36 spans northbound, which also included a temporary bypass and U-turn.
Major structural repairs consisted of strengthening the girders, columns and
beams to address fatigue and corrosion.
Work on I-84 eastbound and westbound included deck patching,
paving and joint installation, steel repairs and strengthening, painting and
substructure repairs and the installation of sign support structures.
Within Connecticut, the DOT said I-84 serves as a critical
east-west transportation link between Massachusetts and I-90 to the east, and
New York and beyond to the west. Route 8 extends from Bridgeport and the
I-95 corridor on the south coast, north to the Massachusetts state line. In
Waterbury, Route 8 parallels the Naugatuck River.
The DOT said the two replacement options announced Monday
aim to improve safety and mobility on I-84 and Route 8, as well as improve
multimodal connections within the surrounding roadway network. In both
alternatives, the I-84 and Route 8 structures would be unstacked and
reconstructed with an expected life span of more than 75 years.
“Progress takes patience, and while this work will take
decades to fully complete, we are committed to improving lives through
transportation by implementing, and completing, certain projects within the
next five years” Eucalitto said.
The announcement said the two design options originated
through the New Mix Planning and Environmental Linkages Study. Over the
last several years, strategies for improving transportation for all users were
identified in alignment with the city of Waterbury's economic and developmental
goals. The PEL study also involved public outreach and participation.
The public can learn more about these alternatives by
visiting the Project
Alternatives page on the PEL study website.
In addition to the two replacement options, the DOT reported
that the PEL study also identified breakout projects, including some that have
been constructed and several that are in various stages of conceptual
development and design. These breakouts are independent projects improving
safety and mobility for the surrounding transportation network, while the state
and federal environmental review and design of the interchange advance.
The Mixmaster replacement options
The DOT ruled out an in-place reconstruction due to the
construction difficulties involved or another rehabilitation of the Mixmaster
in 2045 because it would not substantially improve the interchange’s
functionality, nor would it extend its life span relative to the cost of a
full replacement. It also concluded continued rehabilitation would not be able
to address operational and safety standards.
Another alternative that the DOT dismissed
was constructing a tunnel because the projected construction and
maintenance costs would be considered unreasonable and impractical due to the
length of tunnel needed to construct a functioning interchange. The topography
also presented limitations because of the required depth for a tunnel.
The DOT said the the Modern Crossover Interchange
alternative results in a configuration that addresses the needs of the
interchange. It would reduce the potential for crashes and would include
substantial benefits for the surrounding community while minimizing effects on
environmental and community resources. This alternative would allow for
riverfront access along both riverbanks of the Naugatuck River.
This alternative would replace the Mixmaster with a
full system interchange, using elevated structures that would cross over or
under one another. Under this option, I-84 near the core of the
interchange would be located just south of the existing alignment, while
Route 8 would be relocated east of the existing alignment, and east of the
Naugatuck River, just south of I-84. Route 8 would remain on the west side of
the Naugatuck River north of I-84.
The DOT concluded the Naugatuck River Shift alternative
would also address the needs of the interchange. The option anticipates the
Naugatuck River would be shifted east to a more favorable position for the
Route 8 roadway. This alternative would allow for more opportunities for
riverfront access along the eastern riverbank and would also benefit
transportation, safety, and environmental and community resources.
This alternative would also replace the Mixmaster with
a full system interchange that would be built in an unstacked configuration.
Under this scenario, I-84 would be located just south of the existing alignment
near the interchange core and Route 8 would be reconstructed on the west bank
of the Naugatuck River. To accommodate the unstacked Route 8 configuration, the
Naugatuck River would require partial relocation. The width, river flow, and
capacity of the shifted portion would be maintained in the final condition.
DEEP ‘Threatened’ Pull Back of Funds in Old Lyme After Referendum Delays
OLD LYME — State officials warned First Selectwoman Martha
Shoemaker that delays in
calling a referendum to raise the sewer project budget could cost the town a
forgivable loan to help cover the work.
On Aug. 15, Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Emma Cimino emailed Shoemaker
a timeline of milestones the town should meet and stressed the consequences of
a delay.
“We are aware that the Board of Selectmen has not yet voted
on moving the increased bond authorization to referendum, and that the WPCA has
been asked to provide additional info. I want to emphasize the need for quick
action at each stage to remain aligned with the association timelines,” Cimino
wrote. “Please also note that if an action/milestone noted below doesn’t occur
or is delayed, it will significantly impact the town’s ability to pursue the
internal and shared projects, including execution of a CWF [Clean Water Fund]
agreement as well as the opportunity to receive additional funding in the form
of principal forgiveness.”
After a public informational meeting on Tuesday at the
Lyme-Old Lyme High School Auditorium, Shoemaker told CT Examiner she viewed the
message as a “threat.”
Tuesday’s meeting was a step toward, potentially, calling a
second referendum to increase the project budget from the $9.5 million approved in
2019 to $17.1 million. The original borrowing fell well short of bids received
earlier this year.
The second referendum was originally scheduled for Sep 9,
but Shoemaker said that date cannot be met given a number of steps that would
need to be taken first. A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen has still
to be called, likely next week, to convene a town meeting that must occur at
least seven days before the referendum. The setting of a possible referendum
date is still pending.
The call for a referendum was delayed in early August while the Board of Selectmen sought additional information on costs and waited for the Miami Beach Association to receive bids for work on its portion of the project. Miami Beach bids came in above the anticipated cost, and a decision by the chartered beach community on whether to proceed is pending.
If any one of the three chartered beaches opts out, the cost
to the remaining participants would increase significantly, Old Lyme Water and
Pollution Control Authority chair Steve Cinami acknowledged.
Old Lyme Shores has yet to put the project out to a bid.
In the meantime, DEEP officials have offered the town a
grant of 25% of the cost and an additional 25% as a forgivable
loan to encourage the town to move forward with the installation of
sewers — apparently a priority project for the state’s environmental agency.
But repeated delays are putting that extra funding in doubt.
The timeline recommended by DEEP calls for the town to
submit a Clean Water Fund application and for the town to award a construction
contract before Oct. 15.
“If the town doesn’t complete one or more of the milestones
listed above, the town’s participation in the shared project (including
principal forgiveness funding) would be in jeopardy and result in DEEP’s
consideration of appropriate follow-up action(s) in accordance with its Enforcement
Response Policy,” Cimino warned Shoemaker in an email.
Local opposition
About 70 local residents attended Tuesday’s meeting in
Lyme-Old Lyme School auditorium. All those who spoke publicly were opposed,
demanding that the town fight back against the state’s demand for sewering the
beach neighborhoods construction, or that the costs be divided among residents
of the entire town. As it stands, residents of the beach neighborhoods are on
the hook for the entire cost.
Cinami, who led the meeting, presented the project
calculations and defended sewers as a solution that would increase property
values, address a pollution problem and eliminate a health hazard. If the
referendum fails, Cinami said, the town could face fines, lose the forgivable
loan or DEEP could impose a consent order to mandate sewer construction.
“When I presented this to the WPCA, one of the comments was
why is it so doom and gloom and I didn’t put any positives,” Cinami said. “I
just don’t see a positive outcome from not passing the referendum.”
The audience laughed sarcastically at that comment.
Cinami said the time to fight DEEP’s decision had passed and
that he was only following orders to move forward, even when area residents
opposed it.
“It’s a town call. I don’t have any dogs in the fight. If
someone said ‘Let’s just stop this out’ I would stop,” Cinami said. “I’m sorry
they [residents] don’t have as much say as officials.”
Resident Matt Merritt complained to Shoemaker that the town
should challenge DEEP’s decision.
“Martha, you’re our person. You’re hearing,” Merritt said.
“How come we’re not fighting hard for what these other towns are doing
successfully and we’re not?”
Merritt also questioned Cinami’s calculations and called for
greater scrutiny of the numbers.
“You’re underestimating the costs,” Merritt said. “I think
someone should take a closer look at this because I don’t think it’s
realistic.”
“I believe these numbers are realistic,” Cinami replied.
Dennis Melluzzo, a critic of the plan and a member of the
WPCA, said that if DEEP withdrew the forgivable loan portion, the project would
immediately become unaffordable with the current bids. And he encouraged the
town to reject that offer.
“Tell the state to take it, we don’t want it,” Melluzzo
said. “Then we’ll see you in court. I doubt the town of Old Lyme wants to see
200 appeals in circuit court over this project.”
Residents complained, repeatedly, that the cost of the
project, estimated at about $1,939 annually per equivalent-dwelling unit,
according to Fuss and O’Neill, would be even higher than their property taxes.
The estimated costs do not include a one-time hookup fee,
which Cinami estimated at about $6,000, or a connection fee payable to New
London and East Lyme for their past infrastructure investments, that would
amount to about $230 per year. The operating and maintenance fees would amount
to an added $564 per year, according to a DEEP estimate shared by Cinami.
Another frequent criticism was that only Sound View and Area
B residents would pay the cost of the sewers, but the entire town would vote in
the referendum.
Sebastian Mangiafico, a Sound View resident, was one of the
most vocal in that complaint.
“The whole town is voting on spending our money,” Mangiafico
said. “We’re outnumbered by like eight or nine to one.”
Mangiafico asked how much the project would cost each
taxpayer if it were divided among all town residents instead of end users. The
answer was about $110 per year.
“So $110 a year per taxpayer versus us paying $30,000?”
Mangiafico said. “Excuse my French, but that’s asinine.”
Residents also questioned the state agency’s underlying
motive for the work. A longstanding complaint from residents was that there was
no recent data to prove that septic systems in the beach area were actually
polluting.
Cinami responded that, according to Connecticut statutes,
DEEP is the authority that determines whether or not there is pollution.
“If they say you’re polluting or you’re going to cause
pollution, you’re polluting,” Cinami said. “I’m not going to argue over the
law. That’s the statute, I can’t control the statute.”
“You have given the board of selectmen a lot to think
about,” First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker told the audience.
Selectman Jim Lampos, a homeowner in Sound View, said DEEP
considered it unnecessary to retest the water for pollution because, due to the
density of the area, it was considered there to be pollution “by definition.”
“They don’t care if the groundwater is clean or not. They
don’t care if the Sound is clean or not,” Lampos said. “They’re telling us that
we’re polluting by definition.”
Shoemaker said that they would take all comments into
account when deciding whether or not to call a referendum at the special
session scheduled for the coming days.
“You have given the board of selectmen a lot to think
about,” Shoemaker said.
CT Construction Digest Wednesday August 27, 2025
CTDOT Announces the Long-Term Vision for the Replacement of the Waterbury Mixmaster
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) today announced the long-term vision for the replacement of the Interstate 84 (I-84) and Route 8 Interchange in Waterbury, also known as the “Mixmaster.”
After reviewing and analyzing multiple potential options, the two advancing alternatives are the Modern Crossover Interchange and Naugatuck River Shift. Both alternatives aim to improve safety and mobility on I-84 and Route 8, as well as improve multimodal connections within the surrounding roadway network. In both alternatives, the I-84 and Route 8 structures would be unstacked and reconstructed with an expected lifespan of over 75 years.
“The Mixmaster was once a modern engineering marvel but today, it no longer meets the needs of travelers and the greater-Waterbury community. We’re excited to move this plan forward, which was based on what we heard directly from residents and businesses. This transformative initiative will change how people safely and conveniently travel through and around Waterbury,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Progress takes patience, and while this work will take decades to fully complete, we are committed to improving lives through transportation by implementing, and completing, certain projects within the next five years.”
This plan originated through the New Mix Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. Over the last several years, strategies for improving transportation for all users were identified in alignment with the City’s economic and developmental goals. These analyses, along with extensive public outreach and input, identified the two alternatives which are advancing for further study.
The public can learn more about these alternatives by visiting the Project Alternatives page on the study website.
In addition to the two alternatives for the future replacement of the Mixmaster, the PEL Study also identified breakout projects, including some that have been constructed and several that are in various stages of conceptual development and design. These breakouts are independent projects improving safety and mobility for the surrounding transportation network, while the state and federal environmental review and design of the interchange advance.
Through the PEL process, CTDOT was charged with developing a vision for the future of the interchange and surrounding transportation network to address the transportation needs and goals of the community. As projects continue to be designed and implemented, additional public outreach will be conducted.
For more information, to sign up for project updates, and newsletters, visit NewMixWaterbury.com
Two CT airports will share in $7M in federal grants. Here’s how the funding will be used.
Two Connecticut airports will receive $7 million in federal aviation grants, including $3.1 million that is helping lay the groundwork for a major expansion at Tweed New Haven Airport that could break ground late next year.
The grants from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, also are providing $3.9 million to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks for upgrades, some of which are connected to new additions to the east and west ends of the terminal, which include space for future gates.
Tweed New Haven’s plans call for the addition of a second, 84,000-square-foot terminal with four gates that could be expanded in the future. The cost of the new terminal project is now estimated to be between $100 million and $200 million, airport officials said Tuesday, well above the initial projection of $70 million.
The $3.1 million grant be used to reimburse the airport for an environmental assessment that was required by federal regulators for the expansion. In addition, the grants will help finance the design of the project, including a 975-foot, runway extension. The longer runway is integral to the expansion, needed to accommodate aircraft with larger passenger capacities now favored by airlines.
All together, the terminal project has now received $10.5 million in federal grants. Once ground is broken, it is estimated it will take 12-18 months to construct.
“These federal investments represent another milestone in building a stronger, more resilient, and future-ready Tweed New Haven Airport,” said Michael Jones, chief executive of The New HVN, which is overseeing the expansion. “By modernizing our runways and taxiways, we are ensuring (Tweed New Haven) continues to meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency while also supporting expanded service options for southern Connecticut residents. These improvements lay the foundation for the next generation of travel, commerce and community benefit at Tweed.”
The new terminal project has been controversial. It has drawn opposition from the town of East Haven, where the expansion would be located; Save the Sound, the environmental advocacy group; and residents in the surrounding neighborhood.
The expansion has been promoted as good for the area’s economic development and as alternative for air travelers in New Haven and Fairfield counties.
New Haven owns the airport, but a portion of the airfield is in East Haven. East Haven has argued that it would get all the headaches — including traffic, parking issues, pollution and noise — while New Haven would reap the benefits.
The FAA signed off on the project last year based on the environmental assessment, but there is a push from opponents for a deeper look at the environmental impact. A permit also must be secured from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Connecticut’s Congressional delegation drew praise from both Tweed and Bradley for securing the grants, framed as investments in the region’s economy. The grants are part of $740 million announced last week.
At Bradley, Connecticut’s largest commercial airport, the $58 million in additions will connect the concourse to baggage claim areas at two separate locations. This is intended to relieve the congestion at the existing central stairwell and will create a new lounge areas for people waiting for and seeing off travelers at Bradley. The central stairwell will be eliminated, allowing for an expansion of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, passenger checkpoint.
“This additional space helps position the airport for future growth as we continue to increase our number of nonstop destinations and welcome new airline partners,” Michael W. Shea, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradley’s operations. “The funds will also be used to extend one of our taxiways to make aircraft movement more efficient. Grant assistance like this is critical at (Bradley) and the (CAA’s) five general aviation airports to enhance safety, maintain efficiency in our operations, and offer more convenience for passengers.”
“This $7 million boost in federal support will make our two major airports safer, more reliable, and comfortable for all flyers,” the state’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. “Air passengers deserve better facilities vital to upgrade the flying experience. Connecticut welcomes and depends on visitors from all over the world, and residents who travel widely, to drive our economy. We’ll continue to fight for critically necessary federal investment in our airports.”