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.”