45°
To the editor:
The Stratford Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, has supported a full interchange at Exit 33 in Stratford since the early '90s.
The long-term support is based on the fact that the project is intended to modernize the outdated partial interchange, improve traffic circulation, provide direct access to commercial corridors, including Route 1 and Ferry Boulevard, as well as meet the growing demand for commercial vehicular access in this section of Stratford.
To provide an historical perspective, Exit 33 is a partial interchange due to the state toll system that was removed in 1983. The full interchange should have been reconstructed at that time but was not.
Traveling along I-95 you will observe that where the government has invested in transportation infrastructure (Milford, Orange, Fairfield) commercial development has followed, helping shift the tax burden away from homeowners and supporting the growth of municipal services.
Stratford is the only municipality in Fairfield County without access to Route 1. Ferry Boulevard serves as the primary route to several large parcels of redevelopment opportunities such as Point Stratford Renewal’s Army Engine Plant and Shakespeare Theatre as well as multiple small businesses.
Additionally, Exit 32 can’t handle the volume of traffic it has now. When these other sites reach their potential, the increased traffic will overwhelm Exit 32 and the local roads, which already suffer from congestion.
From a safety point of view, the full-interchange provides additional evacuation route options for homeowners and businesses. Stratford’s existing route is Access Road to I-95 or Ferry Boulevard to the Washington Street Bridge to Route 1 through Milford.
A full-interchange provides a less congested evacuation route. Successful redevelopment and increased private investment in Stratford require a supportive infrastructure.
With the current reconstruction of the Moses Wheeler Bridge, the timing is right and the Stratford Chamber looks forward to seeing this long-awaited project come to fruition.
Mary Dean, Executive Director of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce
A public informational session on the reconstruction of Exit 33 on I-95 in Stratford will be held Thursday, June 16, at the Baldwin Center, 1000 W. Broad St., Stratford. Open forum for individual discussion with Department of Transportation officials will begin at 6:30 p.m. A formal presentation will take place at 7 p.m.
Residents, commuters, business owners and other interested individuals are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about and discuss the proposed project.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stratford and receive free news updates.
