These are the 14 bridges that would be rebuilt or improved with money raised by tolls. The exact placement of the tolling gantries is unclear — though one of them is effectively in New York, thanks to an oddity of the interstate highway system.
Base charges would be 50 cents or $1 for cars, $1.25 to $2.50 for medium-sized trucks and $3.50 to $7 for heavy trucks, with a 20-percent discount with a Connecticut EZ pass transponder.
Within a 24 hour period, any vehicle equipped with a transponder will not pay more than one round-trip user fee per gantry. Commuters without a transponder will be billed by mail and pay a 25% to 50% higher rate.
With a discount, the car ride from New Haven to Greenwich on I-95 would hit three tolls and cost an EZ Pass holder a total of between $1.20 and $2.40, depending on time of day. A drive between Danbury and Waterbury would hit two tolls and could cost between 80 cents and $1.60.
One of the bridges with minimal impact on Connecticut commuters carries I-684 across the Byram River in Greenwich. It is located in Connecticut, but it is on a stretch of I-684 that juts into New York and cannot be accessed from any local road in the state. In fact, New York plows the stretch during snow storms, but Connecticut is responsible for the upkeep of the bridge.
These are the projects and the construction costs:
- I-95 over Metro-North in Stamford. Cost: $20 million to $25 million.
- I-95 in Norwalk and Westport. Cost: $70 million to $130 million.
- I-95 West Haven, reconstructing Exit 43 and replace bridge over Metro-North. Cost $65 million to $90 million.
- I-95 East Lyme, interchange improvements and bridge replacement. Cost: $140 million to $220 million.
- I-95 New London and Groton, Gold Star bridge reconstruction. Cost: $300 million to $415 million.
- I-84 Newtown, reconstruct Rochambeau Bridge over the Housatonic River. Cost: $70 million to $110 million.
- I-84 Waterbury, reinforcing the mixmaster. $235 million to $260 million.
- I-84 West Hartford, replacing crossing over Berkshire Road. Cost $75 million to $110 million.
- I-91 Hartford, Charter Oak Bridge improvements. Cost: $300 million to $330 million.
- I-395 Plainfield, reconstruction bridge over Moosup River. Cost: $15 million to $20 million.
- Route 8 Waterbury, strengthen bridges south of Mixmaster. Cost: $20 million to $35 million.
- Route 9 Middletown, elevate highway and remove traffic lights. $90 million to $160 million.
- I-684 Greenwich, bridge over Byram River. Cost: $12.9 million.
- Route 15 Norwalk, improve connections between Route 15 and Route 7. Cost: $160 million to $200 million.