industry news
Stay updated with the latest developments and insights from across the industry
Amazon builder wages legal battle against Killingly over rejection of advanced-robotics warehouse
PUTNAM—Ryan Companies US Inc., which builds warehouses for Amazon, and more than a dozen Killingly property owners have filed an appeal of the Killingly Inland, Wetlands and Watercourses Commission’s denial of a proposed 1.3 million square-foot robotics warehouse. The appeal, filed in superior court in Putnam, seeks to reverse the commission’s 3-2 vote in July that prevents the $200 million project from moving forward. The appeal also asks the court to direct the commission to approve the application. Simultaneously, Ryan Companies has filed new applications with the inland, wetlands and watercourses commission and the town’s planning and zoning commission. The wetlands application was received by the commission at its Monday meeting and a date for a public hearing was set for Sept. 14. Evan Seeman, an attorney with Robinson & Cole, told the commission that the applicants will be prepared to make a presentation on the project at that hearing. In the complaint, the plaintiffs argue that the commission’s decision to deny the application was made because Ryan Companies did not seek reasonable and prudent alternatives to reduce the square footage of the building and reduce the size of impervious area caused by the parking lot. However, the complaint claims that the company did reduce the building size by 87,000 square feet during the months-long public hearing and also investigated a suggestion that the company consider a parking structure but determined that it would not result in any meaningful benefit in terms of reduced impact to wetlands.
Meriden nearing final stages of $22M bridge reconstruction project in 100-year floodplain
MERIDEN — One of three bridges under reconstruction as part of the Harbor Brook master plan to eliminate serious flooding in the downtown area opened Monday, while another is close to completion. The one that opened is one of the two bridges at the Hanover Towers complex on Butler Street. According to Meriden City Engineer Brian Ennis, the parking lots around the towers flood frequently. Part of the reconstruction of the bridges involves raising the structures above base flood level elevation, according to an environmental assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The goal is to dry out Hanover Street by the police station and Banana Brazil restaurant, Ennis said. Prep work on the Grove Street bridge on the property began Monday. Ennis expects it will be blocked off to traffic Friday or early next week. “We couldn’t demolish them both at the same time because people still have got to get in and out. We filtered all the traffic down Grove Street while we did the Butler Street bridge. Now we’re going to move all the traffic over to Butler while we do the Grove Street bridge,” he explained. That phase of the project costs $14.9 million, Ennis said. The city received a FEMA grant for $11.3 million for 75% of the project, and the city is responsible for the remaining 25%, or $3.6 million, he added.
$12M project coming to CT airport. Goal includes making room for travelers on new routes
A $12 million expansion of much-needed parking could carry the state’s largest commercial airport for five years, easing a looming parking crunch at peak travel periods and accommodate future route expansions, including flights such as a long-sought nonstop to London. Bradley International Airport will increase its parking by 20% by this spring, adding more than 1,500 spaces on what was once the hub of airport car rentals. That would push the number of spaces operated by Bradley from its current 7,900 to nearly 9,500, spread across a garage and surface lots. “During your high travel periods or on holidays or high peak summer travel or spring break, we do start getting close to capacity,” said Michael W. Shea, executive director and chief executive of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees operations at Bradley. “So as we built our ground transportation center, which opened in 2022, which houses all our rental car operations, it really freed up the old rental car sites and made them available for parking.” The project, now well into construction, encompasses 14 acres off Schoephoester Road and is the largest expansion in parking at Bradley in more than a decade. The project also is a sign of the airport’s aspirations to raise its profile among mid-size airports in the region with further route expansion.
More Work Zone Speed Cameras Go Live Across State Highways
More highway work zones across Connecticut are now being monitored by speed cameras as the state expands its effort to slow drivers in construction areas where nearly 4,900 accidents have occurred over the past five years. Speed cameras went live Sunday at the Interstate 91, Interstate 691 and Route 15 interchange construction projects, joining a growing network of enforcement cameras operating through the state Department of Transportation’s Know the Zone program. The program was launched after highway workers repeatedly raised concerns about speeding and distracted driving in work zones, where crews often work just feet from passing traffic. According to the CT CRASH database, there have been 4,867 crashes involving work zones statewide from 2021 to 2025, resulting in 18 fatalities. The state uses two types of work zone speed cameras: stationary units mounted on utility trailers for long-term projects like the interchange construction in Meriden; and mobile units, mounted on SUVs, for short-term projects like paving or pothole filling. The Department of Transportation maintains a map showing approximate locations of the cameras, though only 15 cameras can be active at a time, according to state law. During a statewide testing period from March through May, the cameras detected 8.4 million vehicles traveling through work zones. Of those, 1.3 million were traveling above the posted speed limit, according to department spokesperson Eva Zymaris. Roughly 4,000 were traveling at more than 85 mph through work zones, and 150 drivers were traveling more than 100 mph.
https://ctexaminer.com/2026/08/01/more-work-zone-speed-cameras-go-live-across-state-highways/
NB receives $14.7M to redesign intersection
NEW BRITAIN — A busy East Side intersection known for traffic backups and crashes will be redesigned after the city received a $14.7 million federal grant to improve safety, traffic flow and access to nearby neighborhoods. Mayor Bobby Sanchez and Governor Ned Lamont said Friday morning, along with local and state officials, the city was awarded a federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to rebuild the intersection of Route 174, East Street and Newington Avenue. The project will replace the current offset, signalized Z-curve with a conventional four-leg signalized intersection. Plans also include new sidewalks, ADA-accessible curb ramps, high-visibility crosswalks, decorative pedestrian lighting, streetscape improvements and two pocket parks. The work is expected to improve connections to the East Main Street CTfastrak station, Chamberlain Elementary School, downtown and nearby neighborhoods. “This funding is a major victory for New Britain and for everyone who travels through this corridor every day,” Sanchez said. “For years, residents have identified this intersection as one of the city’s most dangerous and frustrating roadways. This $14.7 million investment allows us to finally address those concerns with a project that will save lives, improve traffic flow and create a safer, more welcoming entrance to our city. This is exactly what happens when local, state and federal partners work together to deliver real results for our community.”
Stamford plans $5 million overhaul of key Glenbrook intersection
STAMFORD — An intersection in Stamford’s Glenbrook neighborhood is getting a complete redesign with traffic signal upgrades, new sidewalks and additional improvements, intended to make it more “pedestrian friendly.” Senior Transportation Planner Luke Buttenwieser said the planned upgrades at the intersection of Glenbrook Road and Church Street are part of the city’s Vision Zero pledge adopted in 2022, hoping to end all crash fatalities by 2032. “People make mistakes when they’re driving, but those mistakes shouldn’t cost people their lives,” he told residents during a virtual meeting Thursday night. “Safety is proactive; people are vulnerable.” Buttenwieser said the project was the result of a transit-oriented feasibility study the city conducted in 2015. He said the study found that the traffic signal infrastructure at the intersection was outdated and needed a complete redesign. The project also includes new roadway and pedestrian lighting and raised crosswalks, he said. “The traffic signal is toward the end of its useful life. Sidewalks are deteriorating. The asphalt is past its useful life,” he said.
Groundbreaking begins on $1.6B project to speed up Metro-North service
STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Top state and federal officials broke ground Monday on the latest phase of Metro-North improvements. This part of the project is called TIME-1. It is already underway, and the goal is to make your trip to the city go significantly faster. It is a dream for most train riders: Spending less time each day on the train. “Always want them to be faster,” said Shelton resident Brad Williams. “It’s a long commute.” “That would be really cool if we could get that through,” said Zach McTaggart of Stratford. Officials took a big step Monday in making that happen, breaking ground on a three-phase, $1.6 billion project to improve tracks, bridges and stations. “Once the three phases are complete, trains are going to be able to travel at speeds up to 90 miles per hour through here, up from today’s maximum of 70,” explained Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. It’s all part of the Track Improvement Mobility Enhancement for Connecticut (TIME for Connecticut) program. Announced five years ago, it means updating some tracks and overhead catenary wires. They will also be improving the bridges that carry those tracks, making some wider and with higher clearance along the way. Over the last four years, improvements have already impacted what used to be an 110-minute ride to New York.
Interstate 91 work zone speed cameras go live in Meriden
MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Speed cameras are now active in the construction zone along Interstate 91 in Meriden as part of Connecticut’s effort to slow drivers and improve work zone safety. The cameras, which went live Sunday, are part of the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s “Know the Zone” program. They capture images of vehicles entering and leaving the construction area and are designed to identify drivers who exceed the posted speed limit. According to the program, images collected by the cameras are reviewed by personnel with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection before a citation is issued. The speed limit through the work zone is 45 mph. Drivers traveling 10 mph or more over the limit will initially receive a warning in the mail. After that, violators face a $75 fine.
Night road work to close lanes on I-95 and I-84 for different projects. What to know.
Motorists can expect lane closures due to nighttime milling and resurfacing on Interstate 95 from the Interstate 395 interchange to Exit 82 in Waterford that will begin on Aug. 9, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The project includes milling and resurfacing the 3.79-mile segment of I-95 in Waterford from I-395 to 0.06 miles south of Exit 82 including ramps, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The work is scheduled to be performed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. from Aug. 9 to Sept. 11, from Sunday evenings through Monday morning. The agency noted that traffic control personnel, “crash attenuator vehicles” and sign patterns will guide motorists through the work zone. Work will end at 6 a.m. on Friday morning, Sept. 4, and will resume at 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening, Sept. 8, 2026, due to Labor Day holiday. Weather or unforeseen conditions may modify or extend the schedule.
Untangling the massive I-91, I-691, Route 15 interchange construction project in Meriden
State Department of Transportation officials have described the Interstate 91, Interstate 691 and Route 15 project in Meriden as a more than $712 million effort to untangle an outdated and congested interchange. But for drivers who make their way through the construction area now, it may be difficult to untangle the project itself in their minds. “It could definitely be confusing for the public,” Connecticut DOT construction project manager Dave Ferraro said. “There’s a lot going on out here.” The project consists of three overlapping phases — one of which is complete — and has required drivers to navigate lane and ramp closures, detours and traffic shifts for about three years. Construction is expected to continue until 2030. DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto has said the intersecting highways weren’t designed to handle the amount of traffic they carry today, and the project takes aim at one-lane ramps, short merge distances and “constant weaving” that contribute to traffic jams and make crashes more likely to occur.
Connect with us
Contact us
If you believe you have been the victim of wage theft on a public works construction project, please feel free to contact our office. You can also visit the Connecticut Department of Labor’s Wage & Workplace Division’s website to file a complaint here.