Bridge No. 00161, which crosses over First Avenue, was built in 1956 and reconstructed in 1990. This bridge will be removed and replaced with a new bridge that will increase clearances above and along First Avenue. The southbound direction of the new bridge will have three 12-foot travel lanes, a 5.5-foot left shoulder, and a 10-foot right shoulder. The northbound direction will have three 12-foot travel lanes, a 12-foot acceleration lane carrying the entrance ramp from Exit 43, a 5.5-foot left shoulder, and a 10-foot right shoulder. 
Bridge No. 00162, which crosses over the Metro North Railroad right-of-way, was built in 1956 and rehabilitated in 1988. This bridge will be removed and replaced with a wider bridge that will include three 12-foot travel lanes, a 12-foot operational lane, a 16-foot left shoulder, and a 12-foot right shoulder in the southbound direction. The northbound direction will have three 12-foot travel lanes, a 16-foot left shoulder, and a 12-foot right shoulder.

The acceleration lane along I-95 southbound that currently runs from Exit 44 across the West River Bridge, or Bridge No. 00163, will be extended to serve as an operational lane and then transition into an exit-only deceleration lane for Exit 43. In order to make room for this lane configuration, approximately 2,200 feet of roadway along I-95 will be reconstructed.

The project will provide the following benefits:
Improved Safety● Replacing the bridges, which are in poor condition, with new bridges that meet current engineering standards for safety will improve the safety of all users of I-95.● Provide additional vertical and horizontal clearance along First Avenue, which will improve sight distance and enable future improvement projects.
Reduced Traffic Congestion● The capacity of I-95 southbound will be improved by widening the roadway and extending the operational lane from the Exit 44 southbound on-ramp to the Exit 43 southbound off-ramp will reduce traffic congestion. ● The capacity of I-95 northbound will be improved by lengthening the Exit 43 northbound on-ramp acceleration lane, providing vehicles with an easier merge onto the highway.
Improved Traffic Flow● Upgrading the traffic signals and signal timing at the southbound Exit 43 off-ramp and Spring Street intersections through time-based intersection coordination will improve traffic flow.
Improved Stormwater Management● Stormwater quality measures will be provided in accordance with Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) requirements.
Reduced Costs● Bridge maintenance costs will be reduced by eliminating high maintenance items such as drainage components on the bridges and bridge joints above bearings. 

The design phase of the project is currently in progress and will be completed during the Fall of 2024. Construction of the new bridges is expected to start shortly after completion of the design phase and will continue for approximately two years, ending in 2027. Ahead of bridge construction, the project will include advanced construction phases intended to accelerate project completion. These advance construction phases will begin in the Summer of 2024 and will include work needed to prepare the roadway for construction lane shifts and foundation work below the existing bridges that can be performed without causing impacts to traffic.

Yes. During the demolition of the existing bridges and construction of the new bridges, the I-95 northbound interchange 43 entrance ramp will be closed. Traffic that enters I-95 northbound at this location will be re-routed onto other state-owned roadways in the City of West Haven and City of New Haven. These detours will start in the Spring of 2025 and be in place for approximately 27 months. See the Traffic & Detour page for more information on the detour routes. 

Visit this website for the latest information on this project. Public Information Meetings are planned for the spring of 2024 to share information about the status of the design and construction phases of the project. CTDOT and the Design-Build team are coordinating with the City of West Haven and the City of New Haven about this project and will work with the two cities to ensure that the latest information about the project is communicated to the public.

If you have any questions or comments about this project, visit the Contact Us page of this website.