A Connecticut developer is urging state lawmakers to take a closer look at building a bridge across Long Island Sound, an ambitious proposal gaining support from some state and local officials. A bill before the General Assembly’s Commerce Committee would direct the state Department of Economic and Community Development to study creating a Connecticut Bridge Authority to oversee funding and construction of a bridge connecting Connecticut to Long Island. The working group would need to share its findings with the legislature by Jan. 1, 2027.The idea resurfaced last September when Easton developer Stephen Shapiro unveiled his vision for a 14-mile span linking Bridgeport to Suffolk County, Long Island. Plans for a Long Island Sound crossing date back nearly a century. Shapiro testified on the bill and fielded questions from members of the legislature’s Commerce Committee during a public hearing Tuesday afternoon. Several lawmakers said they appreciated his out-of-the-box thinking but wanted more details – including the potential cost of the study – before moving forward. The study bill drew support from several Fairfield County officials, along with Republican gubernatorial candidate Erin Stewart, who cited the bridge’s potential economic and traffic benefits and said the idea was at least worth exploring.
Bridge to Long Island? Connecticut lawmakers asked to study 14-mile Sound crossing
