The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is hosting two live listening sessions to present various potential improvements to Interstate 84 in Danbury. The I-84 Danbury Project is a CTDOT initiative to reduce congestion and improve the mobility of people and goods in the I-84 corridor in greater Danbury. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the upcoming live listening sessions to provide feedback on the concepts developed. The two sessions will take place on:

• Thursday, June 9th from 12-1 PM
• Tuesday, June 14th, from 4-5 PM

Meeting information can be found at www.i84danbury.com/upcoming-meetings/.

Study Overview

The I-84 Danbury Project seeks to make improvements to I-84 from interchanges 1 through 8. I-84, which was built in the 1960s, experiences increasing congestion felt by residents, businesses, and visitors, particularly during the peak hour commute. This aging highway carries approximately 20 times more traffic today than in the 1960s and is now operating at capacity. There is approximately one crash per day on I-84 through Danbury. 

The concepts developed aim to address the issues most pressing to community members: reducing congestion and improving travel conditions. There are over 20 different concepts under consideration, such as adding a lane in each direction on I-84, relocating Route 7 left ramps to right ramps to meet the current design standard and driver expectancy, and improving mobility by providing better access to downtown and Danbury Hospital. 

While most concepts target improvements on I-84 and various interchanges, non-highway improvements are also being considered.  Non-highway concepts target other modes and programs to improve overall travel in the I-84 corridor. Danbury has a high number of zero-car households. Expansions of bus, rail, and train systems will help residents who do not use or own a car to get around the city and neighboring areas. Therefore, continued improvement of diverse transit modes makes it easier and more appealing for people to take public transportation, while offering some relief to the congestion from the corridor.

The study portion of the project is expected to be completed at the end of 2022. 

The two live listening sessions will include an overview of the project, as well as guide the attendees on navigating the concept ideas on the website and providing feedback. Public feedback will be used to inform the study and concept recommendations. In addition, members of the I-84 Project Study team will be present at several public events in the city to collect feedback from the greater Danbury community.