A new analysis conducted by the Connecticut Department of Transportation has determined adding travel lanes in both directions on I-95 from Greenwich to North Stonington as well as on I-84 between Waterbury and Danbury will produce economic benefits of nearly $40 billion ”“ more than three times the cost of both projects combined.
The projects would boost most sectors of the state”™s economy, particularly the manufacturing, retail and tourism industries, in the form of new business, wages and an increase in Connecticut”™s gross state product, Gov. Dannel Malloy said in announcing the findings.
“It”™s not just about quality of life ”“ our transportation system is directly tied to our state”™s economic future and our ability to grow jobs,” Malloy said. “The DOT”™s analysis demonstrates that, by acting now, we will see dramatic benefits in the long term.”
According to the transportation department, daily traffic varies widely but, on average, the I-95 corridor accommodates more than 135,000 vehicles daily, including more than 18,000 trucks on some portions. Adding a lane in each direction on I-95 across southern Connecticut will produce $15.5 billion in new business sales, add $9 billion to Connecticut”™s gross state product, and add $6.3 billion in new wage income to workers. The widening itself will cost $10.7 billion and support between 11,000 and 19,000 construction jobs over a 10-year ramp-up construction period.
An estimated 80,000-plus drivers utilize the I-84 corridor. Widening the highway between Danbury and Waterbury could produce $4.4 billion in new business sales, add $2.6 billion to the gross state product, and add $1.8 billion in new wage income to workers, the economic analysis concluded. The total cost of the project is $1.5 billion and will support 4,000 construction jobs.
The study team considered a range of impacts in its assessment, including environmental impacts, safety impacts, improvements in access to markets for businesses and access to jobs for workers, improvements in logistics productivity, improvements in travel times and reliability, and changes in vehicle operating costs.
“These numbers prove widening our interstates is the smart thing to do and demonstrate what we”™d be losing if we don”™t do it, in terms of our economy, jobs, and productivity,” James P. Redeker, commissioner of the transportation department, said. “We really can”™t afford to wait.
