From infrastructure projects to investments in public transportation, CTDOT continued making improvements throughout the state.
As 2023 nears an end, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) highlights the infrastructure investments and transportation improvements made over the course of the last year. From major projects breaking ground to public transportation expansion, the past year was full of continued progress throughout Connecticut.
“No matter the mode of transportation, we are working every day to ensure people reach their destination safely. Over the past year we’ve advanced projects, expanded services, and made investments throughout Connecticut that improve safety, accessibility, and reliability,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “While we say goodbye to 2023, we look forward to continuing our progress in 2024 as we transform aging infrastructure to meet the needs of residents today and into the future.”
Here’s a look back at some of what happened in 2023:
The CTDOT continued to improve roads and bridges as well as responding to resident concerns.
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The CTDOT kept more than 10,000 lane miles clear during each inclement weather event.
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The CTDOT Safety Service Patrol responded to more than 12,000 service calls.
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In 2023, the CTDOT paved more than 550 miles of roadway.
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Throughout the year, CTDOT continued repairing and replacing bridges throughout the state, and the overall condition rating was improved on approximately 75 structures.
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The CTDOT Customer Care Center received more than 9,200 inquiries from the public, answering questions in a timely fashion.
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More than 26 million trips were taken on Connecticut’s rail lines and more than 32 million trips taken on Connecticut’s bus services.
The CTDOT broke ground and continued making progress on major infrastructure projects throughout Connecticut.
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In April, a $50 million safety project in Middletown that will reconfigure the Route 17 on-ramp that leads to Route 9 northbound broke ground.
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Later in April, a $150 million project in East Lyme started that will reduce crashes and alleviate congestion that has plagued the area for decades.
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In May, local, state, and federal officials announced the start of the $900 million WALK Bridge replacement project in Norwalk.
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In the fall over the course of two weekends, two bridges were replaced in Westport along I-95 near exit 17.
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Phase one of the I-91/I-691/Route 15 interchange improvements started.
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As of December 2023, there are 227 active capital projects in construction in the state.
In addition to major projects, the CTDOT continued investments in public transportation in the state.
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In June, after a year of public engagement, the first-ever Customer Experience Action Plan was released.
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In response to the CX Plan, and customer feedback asking for additional ways to pay fares, CTDOT expanded the Token Transit pilot program allowing customers to use their smartphones to pay.
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To meet today’s current ridership patterns and demands, bus services were expanded in the state with additional routes, longer hours, and new connections.
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In the fall, grants to start a new microtransit pilot program were announced, with the services beginning early next year
The safety of all roadway users and roadway workers remained a top priority for the CTDOT.
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In 2023, the CTDOT piloted speed safety cameras in select work zones throughout the state.
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In the fall, a pilot program testing in-vehicle alcohol detection systems launched.
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Throughout the year, the CTDOT continued installing wrong way driver countermeasures on high-risk ramps in the state and airing public service announcements.
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In August, the CTDOT released a new Complete Streets design criteria for all projects moving forward, ensuring that every project includes a focus on pedestrian, bicyclist facilities, and public transportation operations.
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The CTDOT awarded a fifth round of Community Connectivity Grant Program funding totaling $11.7 million to 17 towns and cities to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users.
The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivered for Connecticut.
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The infrastructure law has provided more than $2 billion to the state to date for base-level funding.
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Additionally, the law created new discretionary grant programs, and the CTDOT has received over $1.45 billion in discretionary grants since the law was implemented.
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In November, nearly $2 billion in federal grants for improvements in Connecticut along the Northeast Corridor were announced, including over $1.1 billion for the CTDOT.
Major studies that will alleviate congestion and improve safety advanced over the last year.
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A planning and environmental linkage study of I-95 in Greenwich from New York to Exit 7 got started.
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The I-95 Stamford and I-95 Branford to Rhode Island studies continue making progress.
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In December, after several years of community engagement and stakeholder interviews, the Greater Hartford Mobility Study final report was published.
For more information on the work of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, visit ct.gov/dot.
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