Expect Major Delays On I‑95

If you’re trying to drive through the I‑95/I‑91 interchange on July 26 – 29, beware: Major Q Bridge construction is expected to create detours and delays.

The traffic holdups come as the state shifts traffic from the old Pearl Harbor Memorial ​“Q” Bridge onto the new one.

The state is in the process of tearing down the old six-lane ​“Q Bridge” and building a 10-lane replacement as the central piece of a $2 billion project to redo a seven-mile stretch of highway that crosses New Haven Harbor. Only the half of the new bridge has been built.

The work is set to take place between Friday evening and Monday morning, July 26 to July 29, unless there’s bad weather, according to the state Department of Transportation. It will affect I‑95 between Woodward Avenue/Lighthouse Point (Exit 50) and Sargent Drive (Exit 46), and the I‑91 southbound connection to I‑95 southbound.

The highway will narrow from two to one lanes in some places, and some highway ramps will close, to accommodate the lane shift this weekend.

The work will clear the way for the state to begin demolishing the old Q Bridge on Monday. That will create space for the state to build the next half of the new Q Bridge, which won’t be open to traffic until 2016.

Until the full 10-lane bridge is open, northbound and southbound traffic will share the ​“northbound barrel” of the Q Bridge, with three lanes in each direction and no breakdown lane.

Here’s the traffic advisory issued by the state:

LANE CLOSURE INFO

I‑95 southbound between Woodward Avenue/Lighthouse Point (Exit 50) and Sargent Drive (Exit 46)

Reduced to a single lane during overnight hours listed below. Two lanes will be maintained at all other times.

· 10 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday
· 10 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday
· 10 p.m. Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday

I‑91 southbound connection to I‑95 southbound

Reduced to one lane between 10 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday.

RAMP CLOSURE INFO

CLOSED I‑95 southbound on-ramp from Woodward Avenue/Lighthouse Point (Exit 50)

8 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday. Detour to Forbes Avenue (Route U.S. 1) to I‑95 southbound, I‑91 northbound or Route 34 westbound.

CLOSED to I‑95 southbound traffic only: off-ramp to Sargent Drive (Exit 46)

1 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Monday. Detour to Ella Grasso Boulevard (Exit 45). The off-ramp to Sargent Drive (Exit 46) will be accessible from I‑91 southbound.

I‑95 southbound off-ramp to I‑91 northbound (Exit 48) will remain open but access will be temporarily relocated approximately one mile north from 10 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday.

I‑95 southbound off-ramp to Route 34 westbound (Exit 47) will remain open but access will be temporarily relocated approximately one mile north from 10 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday. There will also be intermittent 20 minute ramp closures between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Saturday.

RAIN DATE In case of cancellation due to weather, work will be rescheduled to the weekend of Friday, August 2, to Monday, August 5, 2013. A reminder notice will be issued.

ADDITIONAL TRAVEL INFO

For detour maps and alternative routes please visit www.i95newhaven.com.

All vehicles including trucks may use Connecticut Routes 25, 8 and 9, I‑91, I‑691, and I‑84 and I- 684 in Connecticut and New York. Permitted oversize/overweight vehicles must follow planned route. Passenger vehicles may also use Route 15 (Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways).