Community Corner

Steward Supports Tolls For Route 11

Route 11 Will Make Waterford Safer, He Said

This week, the state house of representatives voted 76 - 60 to approve the construction of tolls for the extension of Route 11.

And for First Selectman Dan Steward, while it isn’t a perfect situation, it’s a step in the right direction.

The move increases the chance of Route 11 getting federal money, because it shows another source of revenue. And while tolls could never pay for the $900 million extension, without showing any other revenue, the federal government wouldn’t even consider it, he said.

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“My expectation is that it would be very challenging to raise the money through tolls,” Steward said. “It is a political mechanism to improve safety in the area.”

The new road would extend Route 11, which currently ends in Salem, to Interstate 95 in Waterford. It would also fix the dangerous crossing of Interstates 95 and 395 in East Lyme, he said.

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This would take people off Route 85, a road not meant for commuters, Steward said. There is driveway after driveway on Route 85, so people are pulling out onto fast-paced traffic, he said.

“People travel (Rt.) 85 like it is (Interstate) 95,” Steward said. “It is not a safe environment.”

Tolls come with danger as well, but are made much less dangerous if people use E-Z Pass, he said. Most of the people driving that road would be regular commuters, and have E-Z Pass, he said.

The proposal would lengthen Route 11 another eight miles. Half of the cost of the project would go to fixing the 95-395 interchange in East Lyme.


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