At a late November Southwestern Region MPO meeting, Connecticut Department of Transportation planners requested permission to speed the three-year schedule for a programmed reconstruction of the I-95 median in Norwalk and Darien to eighteen months. Because cars must be diverted onto the right shoulder during median reconstruction, preparation for that project would simultaneously complete the work needed to ready the shoulder lanes for peak hour traffic. Although ConnDOT said the two projects are separate and the timing simply fortuitous, Fairfield County municipal leaders and state representatives maintained some suspicion, tabling the fast-track request.

Municipal representatives to the MPO wondered publicly whether ConnDOT was using a "back door" approach to the shoulder opening, possibly attempting to avoid performing the environmental impact assessment called for by groups like CT Fund for the Environment, and the Tri-State Campaign. Selectwoman Diane Farrell (D-Westport) told the Advocate she wanted assurance that ConnDOT is not "backing into the concept of a fourth permanent traffic lane on I-95."

In late December, a ConnDOT representative announced at a special MPO meeting that the agency was dropping its request, citing massive projected traffic back-ups due to construction and concerns that the contractors could not complete the median project within the shorter time frame. The agency said that an environmental assessment of the shoulder opening has been initiated. Since then, local MPO representatives have sent a statement to Commissioner Sullivan requesting that public transit be considered as an alternative within the analysis and that they be kept abreast of all aspects of the environmental review process.