(MIDDLETOWN, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto today announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is starting construction on a project that will reconfigure the Route 17 on-ramp that leads to Route 9 northbound in Middletown in an effort to increase safety for drivers and pedestrians and improve traffic mobility.

The project includes removing the on-ramp’s existing stop sign and creating a full-length, free-flow acceleration lane that will allow vehicles to merge onto Route 9 without first being required to come to a complete stop. The bridge carrying Route 17 over Route 9 will be replaced to accommodate the new acceleration lane, while Harbor Drive access to Route 9 will be removed. The Main Street Extension intersection will be realigned and signalized, and a new sidewalk will be added to the west side of Main Street Extension underneath Route 17.

Middlesex Corporation was awarded the contract, valued at $50 million. It is supported by funding Connecticut is receiving from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

The on-ramp’s current configuration has resulted in 319 crashes and 27 injuries between 2019 and 2022.

This project is part of a larger, comprehensive CTDOT program to improve driver and pedestrian safety in Middletown, including removing the traffic signals on Route 9 and Miller Street access to the freeway.

Governor Lamont said, “Improving the area around Route 9 in Middletown has been high on my priority list. For far too many years, this has been a notorious spot for congestion and accidents, and the current configuration is the source of many of these issues. Reconfiguring the Route 17 on-ramp by removing the stop sign and creating an acceleration lane is just one component of improvements on Route 9 in Middletown that we will be making. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is allowing us to invest in projects like this that will improve traffic flow and increase safety.”

Commissioner Eucalitto said, “This project is critical to improving the safety of drivers through the Route 9 corridor in Middletown. Every construction project of ours is focused on improving the safety of drivers, making it easier to get to wherever you’re traveling. The federal infrastructure law passed two years ago allows CTDOT to address the most important roadway and bridge improvements while accelerating our work to make improvements faster.”

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “This interchange has long been a rampant source of senseless crashes. I commend Governor Lamont’s use of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to reverse this dangerous trend and make the roads safer for all.”

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy said, “A big goal of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is to fund projects that make our roads safer. I’m glad to see Governor Lamont use the federal dollars we secured to make it safer to drive in Connecticut by targeting roads with higher crash rates and making improvements that will reduce the number of accidents and injuries.”

U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) said, “Since 2016, Connecticut’s Department of Transportation has been working with the City of Middletown to develop plans to reconfigure the Route 17 on-ramp to Route 9 northbound. Improving safety and reducing crashes at the interchange is urgent for motorists who use this ramp every day. This is one of the many reasons why I am so proud that we ramped up historic investments with the recently passed and signed into law Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This project will help reduce congestion, improve both vehicle and pedestrian safety, and increase access to the waterfront. Simply put, this investment will help Connecticut build a better, stronger economy – with more jobs. Due to the funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, this critical interchange project can move forward.”

Updates regarding this project’s development will be published online at portal.ct.gov/DOT/Projects/0082-0316-Route-9-Middletown-Home.