Alleviating 'Chokepoint No. 1' Between I-95 Exits 14-15

Written by Leslie Yager

In weather more like May than November, local officials convened near the intersection of Cedar Street and Connecticut Ave to give thanks that the three-year construction project between I-95 Exits 14 and 15 in Norwalk is on schedule. 

Joining Duff on the Cedar Street bridge were Transportation Commissioner James Redeker and soon-to-be sworn in Mayor Harry Rilling.

Duff prefaced his remarks by saying that Monday's news on the $42M project was good news.

"As of a week ago this bridge on Cedar street is open to traffic. As of Monday, two other bridges--Fairfield Ave. and Taylor Ave. -- are now closed and will be demolished. We're entering a new phase," Duff said, adding that he'd heard nothing but positive comments from residents of the city.

"As Governor Mallloy said back when we broke ground in August 2012 'This is choke point number one,' and we believe that to be the case," Duff said gesturing down to the traffic on I-95 below the bridge. 

"This project will help alleviate a lot of traffic that gets bottled up in the area...and we seem to be on budget and on time," Duff added, noting that the project is far more than the bridges and the lane expansion. "There is also drainage, sidewalk, landscaping and other elements." 

DOT Commissioner Redeker described the I-95 bottleneck between 14 and 15 as a major deterrent to traffic. "But the work is being done safely, effectively and on time. We have to take the two other bridges down to complete the widening of the acceleration and deceleration lanes so that you have a complete cross section that has the capacity that it should have," said Rekeker.

Mayor Elect Rilling said everyone knows that the Norwalk section of I-95 backs up significantly.

"The design was very poor from the beginning, when you have people trying to accelerate to get on, and people trying to get to get off very shortly thereafter, and it causes back up. This is a great project."

Rilling likened the Norwalk project to the successful project around Exit 8 in Stamford and speculated that the I-95 widening between Exits 14 and 15 might result in decreased use of the Merritt Parkway as an alternate route for residents and commuters.