The state Department of Transportation has released a study that says widening two of Connecticut’s major interstates will have a major economic impact. The senate Republican leader is not convinced.
The report says adding travel lanes in both directions on I-95 border-to-border from Greenwich to North Stonington, as well as on I-84 between Waterbury and Danbury, will create economic benefits of nearly $40 billion – about four times the cost of both projects.
Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano was quick to question the figures. He said, “We all know effective transportation is a major pillar of a strong economy. But Governor Malloy’s oversized and unrealistic transportation plan will actually hurt our economy in the process. I agree that transportation must be a priority, but we have to be realistic and honest about what our state can afford to do.”
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said, when announcing the study results, “This is about long-term thinking, about delivering a down-payment on our future. The economic benefits of upgrading our infrastructure come in the form of new business sales, new wage income to workers, and an increase in Connecticut’s gross state product. We need to build a brighter economic future, and it starts with fixing our transportation now.”
The DOT study said 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 will cost $10.7 billion, according to DOT estimates, and support between 11,000 and 19,000 construction jobs over a 10-year ramp-up period.
DOT figures project the I-84 widening project between Danbury and Waterbury will produce $4.4 billion in new business sales, add $2.6 billion to Connecticut’s 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.
