The first major detour needed to build a new, left-hand exit from I-91 northbound in Hartford to the Charter Oak Bridge went into effect Wednesday night.
Motorists better get used to the detour: it will be there for the next two years.
Exit 28, which connects to Routes 5 and 15 south, will be closed so those roadways can be lowered slightly to accommodate widening of I-91 overhead and the construction of a new, two-lane exit to the Charter Oak Bridge. The new exit is the centerpiece of a $213 million project making improvements to the heavily traveled section of highway.
The existing, right-hand exit to the Charter Oak Bridge — Exit 29 — is often the site of frustrating backups, sometimes stretching back for a mile or more. The temporary closure of Exit 28 should not exacerbate headaches near Exit 29, the state Department of Transportation says, because traffic volumes using the exits are relatively low.
The design for a new, left-hand Exit 29 — to be built on a bridge — began in 2015 under the administration of former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Gov. Ned Lamont has used the chronic backups as an example of “choke points” around the state that could be addressed with revenue from highway tolls.
The project in Hartford is expected to be completed in 2022.
Follow these steps for the detour:
Follow I-91 northbound to Exit 29 to Routes 5 and 15 and cross over the Charter Oak Bridge.
Take exit 90 to Route 2 westbound.
Take first exit to East River Drive.
Turn right onto East River Drive.
Turn right onto ramp for Routes 5 and 15 southbound.
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.
