Gov. Lamont unveils ‘CT 2030’ plan; says it will cut commute times, but includes tolls

Gov. Ned Lamont unveiled his latest transportation plan Thursday afternoon that he says will cut commute times dramatically – but will require tolls.
Billed as “CT 2030” – the governor hopes to make highways faster by widening or realigning strategic "choke points" along I-95 and the Wilbur Cross Parkway.
"If we fix those choke points, we can dramatically improve commuting times – make it so much easier for you to get to work,” says Gov. Lamont.
It also includes $2 billion to speed up Metro-North trains.
However, money supplied by federal low-interest loans will need to be paid back through tolls.
Fourteen bridges would see toll readers, including the I-95 Saugatuck Bridge in Westport, I-95 in Stamford, the Merritt Parkway in Norwalk and the Waterbury Mixmaster.
Another toll reader would be placed on Interstate 684 – a road that only dips into Connecticut for 1 mile.
Transportation Commissioner Joe Guilietti says that toll is meant to “maintain that bridge.”
“I'm sure there's going to be other discussions that are being held on it," he told News 12.
Toll rates would be 40 to 80 cents per bridge with an E-ZPass, and commuters would only be charged on each bridge once a day.
Some specific plans being proposed for I-95 improvements include:
- An extra lane northbound from Exit 19 in Southport to Exit 27 in Bridgeport.
- A wider exit ramp onto Route 8 in Bridgeport.
- Redesigned ramps onto the Milford Connector and Boston Post Road in Milford.
The tolls are meant to be temporary. Gov. Lamont says they could come down when the low- interest federal loans are paid off, which would likely not be for approximately 30 years. Republicans say they doubt the tolls will ever go down.
The entire plan can be found at the official CT2030 website.
The Motor Transport Association of Connecticut issued a statement on the plan: