Here are the types of road closure and traffic control measures that will be implemented throughout the project duration:
63-Hour Closure (63-hour complete bridge closures)
The project requires twenty-five (25) 63-hour complete bridge closures that will run between Sunday 8pm through Wednesday 11am (excluding State observed holidays). These closures will begin in 2023.
During the 63-hour complete bridge closures, alternative routes to cross the river will be:
- Traveling to/from the south, use the signed detour utilizing the Baldwin Bridge (I-95 Old Saybrook).
- Traveling to/from the north, utilize the Arrigoni Bridge (Middletown-Portland).
Full Closure (Overnight and Off-Peak complete bridge closures)
Complete bridge closures will be allowed during overnight and off-peak hours. (excluding State observed holidays). The start and end times of these closures vary, closure windows will range between 7 to 13 continuous hours depending on the time of year/day of week.
A 14-day notice will be provided in advance of any complete bridge closure.
Single Lane Closure (Short periods of one-lane closure)
Temporary alternating one-way traffic patterns (the type that would occur for a portion of a day) will be controlled by temporary traffic signals or flaggers. These closures are prohibited during weekday rush hour periods (6am-9am and 3pm-6pm) and most of the day on weekends (10am-6pm).
MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED THAT DURING THE FOUR MONTH EXTENTED LANE CLOSURE (12/1/23 – 3/31/24), THERE WILL NOT BE INSTANCES WHEN THE BRIDGE IS OPERATING WITH AN OPEN TRAVEL LANE IN EACH DIRECTION ACROSS THE ENTIRE BRIDGE.
Road signage will alert drivers to lane closures in the construction area. Please pay attention to road signage, slow down, and stay safe!
Extended Lane Closure (Extended periods of one-lane closure)
There will be two instances when the bridge only has a single lane open to vehicular traffic for extended durations, these will occur for 42 continuous days (April 1, 2023, to May 15, 2023) and then for 122 continuous days (Dec 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024).
Alternating traffic patterns will be controlled utilizing traffic signals during extended periods of one-lane closures. During these times, when only one lane is operating on the bridge, there will be two traffic signals operating, one on each side of the bridge.
Update 3/30/23: The Extended Lane Closure scheduled to occur between April 1, 2023 and May 15, 2023 where only one lane of travel would be operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week under traffic signalization control has been removed from the project.
In lieu of the extended alternating one-lane signalized traffic, daily single lane closure will occur Monday through Friday with no time-of-day restrictions. This change will be in affect during the contract specified time frame for the extended lane closure, April 1, 2023 to May 15, 2023.
This modification to the traffic control plan will allow for the road to return to two lanes of traffic at the end pf the contractor’s work shift. The change also allows greater ability to relieve traffic buildup that would otherwise have occurred if traffic signalization had been implemented.