The Connecticut Post reported last week that the Transportation Strategy Board has recommended congestion pricing to pay for any additional travel lanes on I-95. It also said the board has decided to stop all discussions of widening the Merritt and wants to close some of the exits along the I-95 to reduce congestion caused by vehicle weaving. Both I-95 proposals would apparently affect the highway between New Haven and the NY border, which spans 44 miles.

CT House Speaker Moira Lyons, who was instrumental in creating the Strategy Board, told the Post that she wanted to create a new funding system to pay for projects that help reduce traffic congestion. Although adding travel lanes on I-95 will only increase car use and Connecticut’s traffic problems, discussion of a new dedicated fund for congestion-busting projects and of congestion pricing on I-95 could be important steps forward.

A Post editorial congratulated the board on throwing out plans to widen the Merritt, and said their recent recommendations, especially closing some exits on I-95, could mean that the TSB is "finally be on its way to producing a viable roadmap for reducing congestion on state highways."

Tolling I-95 while leaving the Merritt free could make the legendary traffic on the parkway worse than ever. An idea plan worthy of consideration would be to make the Merritt the tolled, congestion-free alternative to I-95. The highways generally parallel each other.

It was unclear at press time how the recommendation to implement congestion pricing on I-95 relates to Governor Rowland’s widely opposed proposal to open the highway’s shoulder lanes to rush hour traffic in Fairfield County (MTR # 412). 

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