A housing developer in Easton, Connecticut, has revived a proposal for a bridge across Long Island Sound, connecting Bridgeport to Suffolk County, New York. The idea, which includes a tunnel for parts of the bridge, has been met with skepticism by transportation experts.
Cost and Feasibility
Pete Harrison of the Regional Plan Association called the estimated $50 billion cost ‘a fantasy number.’ The Connecticut Department of Transportation and the MTA have also expressed doubts about the proposal.
A transportation insider estimates that a market and feasibility study would take around three years and cost $5-10 million, while an Environmental Impact Statement would cost $25-50 million more.
Demand and Traffic
The developer, Stephen Shapiro, claims that the bridge could accommodate up to 100,000 cars per day, each paying a one-way toll of $39. However, the cross-sound ferry from Bridgeport carried only 525,000 vehicles last year, with an average daily load of 1,400 vehicles.
Most speakers at a recent media event at the capitol spoke about the potential benefits of the project for Bridgeport, but none were transportation experts. The city’s former mayor, Bill Finch, compared the project to putting a man on the moon.
Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.
