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The Connecticut Department of Transportation is warning Fairfield County residents to brace for massive traffic backups when I-84 westbound closes at Exit 1 in Danbury at 5 p.m. Saturday for bridge work in New York State.
In addition to traffic jams along I-84 -- which DOT warns could go back to Southbury -- streets throughout Danbury are expected to be filled with drivers seeking alternate routes.
Area residents and drivers are urged to seek alternative routes and allow for extra travel time.
Until the roadway is reopened, which is expected Sunday afternoon, all westbound traffic on I-84 will be forced to leave the highway at Exit 1 and travel on Route 6/202, or Saw Mill Road, until re-entering I-84 at Exit 20 for I-684 in the town of Southeast in New York.
Travelers may choose to avoid I-84 altogether, going as far north as I-90 or as far south as I-95/I-287 or the Merritt Parkway.
The New York State Department of Transportation is replacing the two Putnam County bridges that carry I-84 over Dingle Ridge Road in Southeast.
Dingle Ridge Road will be closed for the days leading up to and after the highway closure. To allow the I-84 traffic to detour onto Route 6, left turns will be prohibited onto Route 6 within the detour route. Detour signs will be posted along affected local routes.
Also, New York officials have changed the date for I-84 eastbound's closure, which originally was scheduled and publicized as taking place the following weekend. The eastbound direction will be closed the weekend of Oct. 19-20.
This project uses Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques to erect two bridges in two weekends -- one for each direction of I-84 as it passes over Dingle Ridge Road. Each new bridge has been built adjacent to the existing bridge on a rail system. On the weekend of each closure, the existing bridge will be demolished and the new bridge slid into place.
During the closure, the approaches will be raised about two feet to meet the new bridge elevation and then the bridge will be reopened. Using these innovative design and construction techniques each bridge closure is expected to last less than 24 hours with the goal to minimize the disruption to this heavily traveled corridor.
A still camera has been set up on-site to capture the construction process. You can watch a time lapse of the work here or a video here.
Want your voice heard? Take a survey here after the work is done this weekend.
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