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I-84 in Hartford has passed its service life, repairs or new highway needed

HARTFORD–Gov. Dan Malloy took a walk with other transportation leaders and experts under I-84 in Hartford Monday, as he put the focus on his transportatio...

HARTFORD–Gov. Dan Malloy took a walk with other transportation leaders and experts under I-84 in Hartford Monday, as he put the focus on his transportation plan for the future.

It’s the busiest section of highway in Connecticut, and it’s nearing the end of its 50-year-service life.

The Department of Transportation also says the roadway is in an advanced state of deterioration. It was originally built to hold 55,000 vehicles per day, but now more than 175,000 cross it every day.

Malloy said it would cost between $4 and $10 billion to replace the 2 1/2 mile stretch through Hartford.

The cost would depend on what the state decides to do. Early options include:

  • Sticking to maintenance and repairs
  • Restructure into an elevated highway
  • Restructure into a lowered highway
  • A tunneled highway, which would require the relocation of the railroad

“This is a major project and Connecticut’s history of underinvestment in the last forty years in transportation, has got to be dealt with,” said Malloy, “you can deal with it by waiting until it falls down, I suppose, but I don’t think that’s the best way to deal with it.”

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