I-95 Exit 55 Ramps Reopened in Branford
Early on Tuesday, July 21, barricades in place for over three months came down, and drivers quickly resumed use of Branford's I-95 Exit 55 off-on northbound and southbound ramps. They were reopened 15 days ahead of schedule, said CT Dept. of Transportation (DOT) Project Manager Harold Spina. Both two-way traffic ramps had been shut down since April 6.
The I-95 bridge replacement project over Route 1 in Branford got underway in 2019 with work to realign Route 1 during demolition and reconstruction of the bridge base. Work continues on Route 1 and will be completed on schedule in October 2020, said Spina.
CT DOT Project Engineer Matthew Briggs said replacing the bridge topside on I-95 went quickly for a couple of reasons.
"We've been working Saturdays and because of COVID-19 and reduced traffic on the highways and in the local area, when you're not working in all that traffic, it's just easier," said Briggs. "All construction is much easier to do without having a large volume of travel public in the area."
That being said, Briggs and Spina ask the traveling public to obey all traffic laws and slow down in work zones.
"Driving slow through work zones is good for the people in the work zones," said Briggs.
The project's remaining work on Route 1 will continue through October but drivers can expect little in the way of travel delays, said Briggs.
"We're going to need all the time, but we are not going to need all the space down there; so we really shouldn't be impacting anybody's travels through the area. The ramps are now fully open and functional, and we have enough space down there to be accommodating anyone who might be driving through the intersection," said Briggs.
The Route 1 section will include the addition of new sidewalks, final roadway paving, and coordination and timing of traffic signals. On I-95, roadway milling and paving will take place in the bridge construction area during standard night operation/closure hours.
"At the end of the project, because of all the line striping and work we did up there, we are going to be milling and paving, from gutter to gutter, the entire limits of the job. The entire top is going to have a new riding surface on it by the time we leave," said Briggs.
The state project was awarded to O&G Industries (Torrington) in January, 2019.