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DOT details Greater Hartford Mobility plan and major bridge and rail projects, with construction years stretching to 2030s
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Summary
DOT presented the Greater Hartford Mobility proposal to realign I-84/I-91 and listed major bridge and rail efforts — Walk Bridge, Gold Star Memorial Bridge, Devon Bridge — with environmental phases starting now and construction targets around 2030 for some projects.
Connecticut DOT officials used the subcommittee briefing to outline a set of "mega" projects that would reshape critical highway and rail connections, saying environmental work is beginning on several fronts and construction on the largest schemes is targeted near the end of the decade.
Commissioner Garrett Icolito described the Greater Hartford Mobility proposal as a package that would shift and partly lower I‑84 and I‑91 through Hartford, build a new Connecticut River bridge to support a reconfigured interchange and allow capping over portions of the highway to reconnect the city. "The first phase of this is moving into the environmental stage right now... Our goal is start construction 2030 or 2031 on this new bridge," Icolito said.
DOT highlighted rail projects tied to the state's capital program. The Walk Bridge (Norwalk) remains a major construction project now underway; the Gold Star Memorial Bridge rehabilitation (Groton'New London) is moving into construction to extend the asset's life and provide span-to-span traffic shifting. DOT also described the Devon Bridge (Stratford'Milford) as a future, large‑scale railroad bridge project that will require federal partners (FRA, FTA, Amtrak) and is targeted for construction in the early 2030s.
Legislators probed impacts: Representative Paletta asked about the Waterbury area and whether the Mixmaster project required additional follow-up; DOT said early-action projects and operational improvements (ramp closures, merging adjustments) are planned, and the agency will provide lists of near-term work. Representative Baumgartner asked how DOT would communicate during Gold Star Bridge construction; DOT said on-site field offices, weekly mailings and coordination with emergency services and municipal partners will be used throughout multi-year staging.
Why it matters: These projects are large in scale and could change traffic patterns, freight flows and urban connections; DOT repeatedly noted they depend on federal funding and multi-year environmental reviews. Commissioner Icolito urged inclusion of passenger-rail funding in the next federal authorization, saying Connecticut cannot shoulder multi‑billion-dollar rail projects alone.
What happens next: DOT said environmental analyses and public comment periods are beginning for some projects and that the agency will continue stakeholder engagement and provide study results to the committee as they become available.
