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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.
Groton retirement community secures $304M financing for major expansion project
A Groton continuing care retirement community has secured $304.2 million in financing to fund a major campus expansion that will add 265 new senior living units, according to an announcement. Chicago-based investment bank Ziegler said it recently closed the tax-exempt bond financing for Fairview’s Vista Point project, calling it one of the largest senior living tax-exempt bond deals completed in Connecticut. The expansion will be built on about 20 acres of undeveloped land on Fairview’s 70-acre campus and will include 193 independent living units, 44 assisted living units and 28 memory support units, along with amenities including dining venues, a fitness center, indoor pool, performing arts center, walking trails and underground parking. According to Ziegler, the financing will pay for construction of the project, refinance Fairview’s existing debt, fund debt service reserves, cover a portion of interest costs during construction and pay financing expenses. At the time the financing closed, about 70% of the project’s independent living units had been pre-sold, according to Ziegler. The project previously received approval from the Groton Planning & Zoning Commission. Fairview CEO Billy Nelson said in a statement released by Ziegler that the next step is breaking ground on the project. A construction timeline was not provided.
Court Upholds Tweed Expansion Approval
A Washington, D.C. federal appeals court has upheld a 2023 environmental approval of Tweed New Haven Airport’s long-planned expansion — providing a key victory for the airport’s efforts to build a new terminal and an extended runway. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit handed down that 18-page decision on Tuesday in the case Save the Sound v. Federal Aviation Administration. Click here to read the decision in full. The underlying case stemmed from a 2024 appeal filed by the local environmental nonprofit Save the Sound and the Town of East Haven. The petitioners had sought to challenge the FAA’s finding in December 2023 that Tweed’s plan to construct a new terminal in East Haven and extend the airport’s main runway by nearly 1,000 feet — which was first announced in 2021 — would have no significant environmental impact on the surrounding area. The FAA found that the airport’s expansion would actually reduce the number of “enplanements” — and, therefore, air pollution — near the Morris Cove regional airport. That’s because the demand for increased air traffic at Tweed will result in more flights no matter what, the FAA predicted. As Judge Gregory Katsas wrote in Tuesday’s decision, “With the runway extension, the FAA projected that Tweed would see fewer flights with more passengers per flight due to the use of full-capacity 737-800s. … Without the extension, the FAA projected more flights with fewer passengers per flight due to the reduced capacity.”
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/2026/07/21/court-upholds-tweed-expansion-approval/
Warehouse moratorium begins in Killingly, another proposed in neighboring Plainfield
As a 12-month moratorium to pause new zoning applications for large warehouse and distribution centers began in Killingly on Monday, Plainfield is looking to do the same. At its meeting Monday, the Plainfield Conservation Commission discussed proposing a moratorium on new warehouse development at the next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Aug. 11. This proposal comes after several warehouses have been built in Plainfield including Amazon, Uline and Lowes, and most recently, a proposed 1.1 million square-foot Costco depot center was approved. The Planning and Zoning Commission passed the Costco development after months of court negotiations in June. Stephen Randall, member of the Conservation Commission, said members are trying to stop warehouses from coming in and preserve “The Last Green Valley,” as the area is known for, but there is only so much they can do. “What part of it is green if you look at Google Earth?” Randall said. We have been strip mining the earth with our gravel bags and we have these major industries coming in. … It’s overwhelming,” he said. Killingly’s moratorium, which began Monday and is in effect until June 30, 2027, will prohibit developers from filing new applications for “distribution centers, fulfillment centers, e-commerce centers, truck and freight terminals” in the town’s general commercial, mixed-use interchange, business park or mill mixed-use development districts.”
Two construction teams vie for Hartford federal courthouse contract, Q&A event set for Wednesday
The planned $345 million federal courthouse in downtown Hartford is moving closer to construction, with two teams competing for the design-build contract and an informational event for subcontractors and suppliers set for Wednesday at Dunkin’ Park. The new courthouse will be constructed on a 2.2-acre surface parking lot at 154 Allyn St., between Union Station and the PeoplesBank Arena. The 281,000-square-foot building will have up to 11 courtrooms, 18 judges’ chambers, offices for court-related agencies and secure parking. The GSA expects to award the design-build contract in January 2027, with construction starting in summer 2027, according to the agency’s project timeline. The courthouse is expected to be substantially complete in early 2031. The U.S. General Services Administration on June 3 named the two firms shortlisted for the contract: Turner Construction Co. of New York, and a joint venture between Rhode Island-based Gilbane Building Co. and Massachusetts-based Consigli Construction.
Northeast State DOT Projects Win Top Honors in National Competition
Eleven state department of transportation projects from Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have earned regional accolades in the 2026 America’s Transportation Awards competition. From streamlining access to government services to reducing crash risks along key urban corridors, these projects deliver lasting benefits that improve safety, mobility and quality of life in the communities they serve. Selected from 30 projects submitted by eight states and the District of Columbia in the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO) region, these entries are part of a record 127 nominations from 45 state DOTs in this year’s overall competition. Sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the America’s Transportation Awards honor transportation projects that deliver meaningful benefits to communities. Projects compete in four categories — Quality of Life/Community Development, Operations Excellence, Best Use of Technology & Innovation and Safety — showcasing the essential role transportation plays in improving mobility, safety and quality of life for all users.
At Age 103, O&G Still Is Next-Gen Contractor
O&G Industries Inc. in Torrington, Conn., has been active in state and regional construction since Andrew Oneglia founded the company in 1923, with family ownership and leadership now in the fourth generation and with many multigenerational staff. “The combination of long-tenured employees and emerging talent gives us both stability and momentum,” says the firm, now diversified into heavy contracting, complex project management and materials production, with strengths in transportation, education, health care, commercial and industrial markets. O&G ranks at No. 159 on ENR’s national list of Top 400 Contractors, reporting $830.5 million in 2025 construction revenue, and at No. 30 among ENR East Top Contractors with $668.68 million in 2025 regional revenue, up 46.59% from the prior year. O&G says it targets market demand for lower-carbon buildings and infrastructure, forming a link with Urban Mining Inc. to substitute standard cement using a patented concrete additive made from locally recycled glass that cuts emissions. Its community involvement includes Crew for a Cause, an employee-driven charitable giving effort that has provided more than $1 million to local groups and projects since 2023. The firm now has seven fourth-generation members as company managers. One of those, Thomas J. “T.J.” Oneglia, vice president of construction materials, outlined the firm’s strategic approach in a Q&A that has been edited and condensed.
https://www.enr.com/articles/63337-at-age-103-o-and-g-still-is-next-gen-contractor
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