The Connecticut Department of Transportation has proposed changes to Route 85 in Salem and Montville that include widening the roads, a new roundabout and replacing two existing bridges. The $38 million proposed project is split into four separate sections and begins in Salem just south of the intersection of routes 82 and 85 and extends to just south of the intersection of routes 85 and 161 in Montville. Steven Drechsler, the project manager for Benesch, said the main purpose of the project is to improve traffic along all four project sections by increasing the road’s shoulder width to a minimum of 5 feet and a maximum of 8 feet to allow drivers to bypass vehicles making turns. Drechsler said 80% of the money to pay for the $38 million project will come from federal funds and 20% will come from the state.
https://www.theday.com/local-news/20220319/major-construction-improvements-proposed-for-route-85