Just How Bad are Interstate Roads and Bridges in Connecticut?

By Wendy Ann Mitchell (Patch Staff)

Connecticut's its Interstate bridges are among the most deficient in the country according to a new report released by TRIP, a Washington, DC based national transportation organization.

Connecticut’s urban Interstates have the third highest rate of vehicle travel per lane mile and are the eighth most congested, according to the report, with 60 percent of urban Interstates experiencing congestion during peak hours.

Seven percent of Connecticut’s Interstate bridges are structurally deficient, the fifth highest rate in the nation. A major cause for concern is the fact that structurally deficient bridges often have deterioration of the major components of the bridge.

The TRIP report, “The Interstate Highway System Turns 60: Challenges to Its Ability to Continue to Save Lives, Time and Money” finds that the Interstate Highway System is seeing increasing congestion, particularly by large trucks, and says that the aging Interstate system will require long-term, costly repairs.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said in January that widening Interstate 84 in Danbury is critical for economic growth in western Connecticut. Widening the highway in both directions will also ease rush-hour traffic in the area as well, according to a release.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation estimates this corridor carries more than 125,000 vehicles on an average weekday which causes congestion and traffic during morning and evening peak hours.

“Congested roads are bad for business and bad for families – and we need to fix them. They make us less attractive for businesses and force us to spend dozens and dozens of hours away from each other. This is all part of the dialogue about whether Connecticut wants to have a best-in-class transportation system,” Governor Malloy said.

“Widening I-84 in Danbury is a common sense solution and part of our long-range vision to rebuild our transportation infrastructure through the middle of this century.”

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s plan is to widen a five-mile section of the highway between Exits 3 and 8 in Danbury.

"These latest figures from TRIP are beyond disappointing and should serve as a wakeup call to policy makers at all levels of government," said Heather C. Briccetti, Esq., president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc.

"Thankfully, after years of hard work by AGC, The Business Council and our other partners in the Rebuild NY coalition, this year's state budget did include funding parity for upstate roads and bridges. But it's not enough. Statistics show that every dollar spent on infrastructure investment returns three to the overall economy. We need to increase our infrastructure investment and we need to do it now."

In Connecticut, 60 percent of the state's urban Interstates are congested during peak travel times, in comparison to New York's 35 percent. During peak travel time in New Jersey, 73 percent of their Interstates are congested. California tops the rankings at 85 percent.

Nationally, the average annual amount of travel per Interstate lane mile increased by 11 percent from 2000 to 2014, according to the report. Interstates carry one-quarter of all the nation’s traffic, and truck traffic on Interstates is growing at twice the rate of other vehicles. But as usage is growing, funding to maintain the Interstate is falling far behind.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's estimate of needed improvements to the Interstate Highway System will cost approximately $189 billion, according to the report. The nation’s current transportation investment is less than two-thirds of the amount needed to keep Interstates in good condition, the report states.

“The United States moves in large part thanks to the efforts of many elected officials, organizations and citizens whose shared foresight led to the construction of the national interstate system,” said Bud Wright, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. “Now, as we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Interstate act, it’s clear that our investments in preserving the system are not keeping up even as our nation continues to grow.”

“Moving products and people quickly and efficiently is a major concern for Connecticut’s business leaders,” said Eric Gjede, assistant counsel for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. "Congested highways and aging infrastructure impact delivery deadlines, hinder customer outreach, limit territories and markets, and pose quality of life issues in extending commutes for Connecticut workers. Improving and expanding our Interstate system is crucial for Connecticut’s economic success and vital for every individual, family, and community."

While the condition of Interstate pavement and bridges is acceptable, according to the report, 14 percent of Connecticut’s Interstate pavements are in poor or mediocre condition. Three percent of U.S. Interstate bridges are structurally deficient and an additional 18 percent are functionally obsolete.

The report says that seven percent of Connecticut’s Interstate bridges are structurally deficient – the fifth highest rate in the nation – and 19 percent are "functionally obsolete."

“The long-term vision that helped establish the current Interstate system 60 years ago is needed again today,” said Will Wilkins, TRIP’s executive director. “In order to maintain personal and commercial mobility, transportation investment and a sustainable, long-term funding source for the federal surface transportation program must remain a priority.”

The report writers predict that by 2020 the annual shortfall into the nation’s Highway Trust Fund will be $16 billion annually.

Related:
Gov. Malloy Says Widening I-84 in Danbury is Critical for Economic Growth

Photo: Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown photo by Dan Saksa via Flickr Creative Commons