The Middlesex Corporation (TMC) began construction in March 2023 on the fourth major phase of the Connecticut Department of Transportation's (CTDOT) Route 9 Middletown project: the reconfiguration of the Route 17 northbound on-ramp to Route 9 northbound. The project is designed to address significant safety concerns at a busy interchange.
Funded with 80 percent federal and 20 percent state funds, the $54 million project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. State funds covered the engineering costs.
According to CTDOT, the reconfiguration is intended to improve overall safety and reduce rear-end crashes at the Route 17 northbound and Harbor Drive entrances to Route 9 northbound.
“The current ramp from Route 17 northbound to Route 9 northbound is a skewed, stop-controlled intersection with a short acceleration lane that overlaps with the entrance at Harbor Drive along a congested corridor in advance of the Route 9 traffic signals,” CTDOT stated on its project webpage. “These conditions have contributed to higher-than-expected crash rates in this area.”
The latest available three-year crash data at the time of the analysis, covering Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2020, documented 340 crashes within the project limits, resulting in 60 injuries. Of those crashes, 249 occurred near the stop-controlled interchange, and 244 — or 98 percent — were rear-end collisions.
The project includes installing a 1,000-ft., full-length acceleration lane for Route 17 northbound traffic entering Route 9 northbound and eliminating the Harbor Drive on-ramp to Route 9. Crews also are constructing retaining walls along the west side of Route 9 to minimize potential impacts on wetlands and Harbor Park.
Another major component is the replacement and widening of the superstructure of the Route 9 bridge over Union Street (Bridge No. 00638). The work will accommodate the new acceleration lane and support long-term bridge maintenance.
The project also includes reconfiguring the Route 17 southbound on-ramp at Main Street Extension. The ramp is being realigned with the Route 17 southbound off-ramp, and the existing traffic signal is being replaced to create a more conventional signalized intersection.
“This will serve as the principal access to Route 9 for Middletown downtown's southern end,” CTDOT said
Dedicated turn lanes at Main Street Extension and the Route 17 off-ramps also are intended to reduce congestion.
In addition, a noise analysis conducted under Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) regulations and CTDOT's Highway Traffic Noise Abatement Policy determined that a noise wall should be installed between the Route 17 northbound on-ramp from Main Street Extension and Flower Street to mitigate traffic-related noise.
Other improvements include a pedestrian access point along Union Street and new street parking and sidewalks along Main Street Extension.
Planning for Safety, Long-Term Performance
CTDOT spent approximately four years planning the project before construction began, with safety improvements a central priority.
“The reconfiguration is a CTDOT safety improvement initiative to improve overall safety,” said Eva Zymaris, a CTDOT spokesperson. “The purpose of the project is to reduce rear-end crashes at the Route 9 northbound and Route 17 northbound interchange.”
Zymaris reiterated the findings of the 2018–2020 crash analysis, noting that 98 percent of the 249 crashes recorded near the stop-controlled interchange were rear-end collisions.
“Route 9 serves as a critical connector to the city of Middletown and beyond,” she added. “Route 9 overlaps Route 17 through a portion of this project. Main Street Extension is a local roadway located south of downtown Main Street. Union Street, River Road and Harbor Drive are also local roadways and provide access to Harbor Park and waterfront properties.”
Traffic volumes underscore the importance of maintaining safe and reliable travel through the work zone. The 2025 average daily traffic volume was approximately 71,000 vehicles on this stretch of Route 9 and 15,000 on Route 17. Approximately 5,800 vehicles per day used the Route 17 northbound on-ramp to Route 9 northbound.
CTDOT designed the project, which is being constructed in a densely developed area between the Connecticut River and Middletown's central business district. Route 9 is a four-lane divided expressway, and the work zone lies just south of two signalized, at-grade intersections. The project is advancing ahead of a larger initiative to remove those signals from Route 9 under project 0082-0318.
Bridge No. 00638 also spans an active Providence and Worcester rail line, which crosses diagonally beneath the bridge from the west side of Route 9 to the east side.
“This configuration requires close coordination between the contractor, owner, railroad and designer to facilitate a complex Stage Construction plan, site access, submittal reviews, and worker protection,” Zymaris said. “Early in the project, stakeholders were engaged to develop a consensus understanding of the physical site constraints, construction workflows and schedules, track protection and safety protocols that will be required while the existing structure is removed, replaced, and widened over the course of the four distinct phases necessary to maintain traffic running overhead on Route 9.”
CTDOT's goal for most new bridge construction is a service life of approximately 75 to 100 years.
Traffic management relies on daytime and nighttime lane closures, traffic shifts and detours. CTDOT has emphasized that motorists must remain alert as crews work close to active traffic lanes.
“We're reminding the public of the important role they play in keeping Connecticut's roadways and work zones safe,” Zymaris said. “There are lane closures, traffic shifts, heavy-duty equipment and workers on and near the highway. By slowing down, moving over, remaining vigilant, ditching the distractions and driving sober, we can prevent crashes and ensure safer roads for everyone.”
Middlesex crews are working day and night to advance the four-phase construction program while maintaining traffic flow.
Four Phases of Bridge Construction
The first phase, which ran from spring 2024 to spring 2025, focused on Bridge No. 00638, a 260-ft.-long structure carrying Route 9 over Union Street, with two lanes in each direction. Crews constructed new western spans and reconstructed Exit 14 while maintaining two lanes of traffic in each direction.
Phase 2, which began in summer 2025 and was scheduled to continue through spring 2026, involved further work on the bridge, including removal of the existing southbound lanes.
The third phase began in spring 2026 and is scheduled to continue through spring 2027. Crews are constructing the new eastern, northbound section of the bridge. The work also includes modifying the merge from Route 17 northbound to Route 9 and completing the remaining eastern portion of the structure.
Traffic management remains one of the project's biggest challenges.
“The project is located within a densely developed area,” said Shaun Dirck, Middlesex's project manager. “Route 9 is a four-lane divided expressway set between the Connecticut River and Middletown's central business district. Due to the project location along the river, in a highly trafficked area served by multiple modes of transportation, maintaining a schedule can be challenged by construction operations, localized site conditions, weather, material availability and other factors.
“Keeping the work progressing and on schedule requires all stakeholders to recognize and respond to potential delays in a deliberate and cooperative manner,” he added.
Dirck said the project remains on schedule for completion by the end of 2027.
Building the New Western Spans
Explaining the approach to constructing the new western spans and reconstructing Exit 14, Dirck told Construction Equipment Guide that TMC began by installing a support-of-excavation system along the south side of Route 9 to support the new spans.
Once the system was in place, crews constructed the required substructure and installed a precast Doublewal retaining wall. They then erected the structural steel and built the bridge superstructure.
The Exit 14 off-ramp was subsequently reconstructed, along with full-depth reconstruction of the Route 9 roadway. The final step was paving the new construction and shifting traffic into the completed section.
The work required a broad range of construction materials.
“A variety of processed aggregates were used for the aforementioned operations,” Dirck said. “Additionally, galvanized deformed steel bars were used as concrete reinforcement. Various high strength concrete mixes were used for the substructure and superstructure concrete pours. A precast concrete Doublewal system was used to construct the retaining wall. The structural steel used was metalized for its form of cathodic protection. A cold liquid elastomeric membrane was applied to the concrete deck prior to the asphalt as a form of protection to the concrete deck.”
TMC began by installing 40-ft. sheets, tiebacks, H-piles and lagging to create a support-of-excavation system along the west side of Route 9. After successfully installing the system, crews excavated the embankment beyond the sheet line.
The western spans were built from the bottom up.
“First, TMC's subcontractor, Norwalk Marine, installed micropiles to support the new substructure,” Dirck said. “TMC then formed and poured the concrete abutment foundations, followed by the abutment stem walls and pedestals. [We] also poured two new piers utilizing the same methodology to support the new structural steel.”
Crews installed a precast Doublewal system to construct retaining walls on both sides of Union Street, supporting the new western spans added to Route 9. After completing the retaining walls, they removed the temporary support-of-excavation system.
“[We] then erected the steel girders and all remaining structural steel,” Dirck said. “Upon the completion of steel erection, [we] formed and poured the concrete deck. [Our] subcontractors then applied the waterproofing membrane to the deck and paved the deck.”
To accommodate the new western span of Bridge No. 00638, TMC widened the Route 9 southbound roadway through full-depth reconstruction. Crews also installed a new drainage system to serve the expanded roadway.
“The new construction also required the removal of the existing overhead sign structure and the installation of the new overhead sign structure that spans Route 9 to accommodate the added width resulting from the new spans,” Dirck said.
Additionally, crews reconstructed the existing Exit 14 ramp to accommodate the new spans and completed full-depth reconstruction along Route 9 to tie the new pavement into the existing travel lanes.
“The final operation involved shifting traffic into the newly constructed area,” he added. “This involved the removal of existing pavement markings, installation of temporary traffic barriers, and the application of new epoxy pavement markings (line striping).”
Equipment used during this phase included excavators, dozers, manlifts, telehandlers, concrete pump trucks, a crane for steel erection and various compactors.
Demolition, Reconstruction of Southbound Lanes
After traffic was shifted from the existing southbound lanes to the new lanes constructed during Phase 1, TMC began demolishing the old southbound portion of the bridge.
Following demolition, crews built the replacement substructure and superstructure using methods similar to those employed during the first phase. After completing the bridge deck, they paved the roadway and shifted traffic into the next construction stage.
The work required careful sequencing to protect the remaining bridge structure and maintain safe operations over the active railroad.
“First, TMC installed a support of excavation system using 40-foot sheets, H-piles and lagging,” Dirck said. “[We] then jacked the existing northbound lanes utilizing jacks placed on the newly constructed pier to allow [the] demolition of the existing substructure from the southbound lanes without affecting the remaining girders. Then, [we] demolished the existing superstructure and removed all structural steel, followed by the demolition of the substructure.”
Once demolition was complete, crews installed micropiles and constructed the concrete abutment foundations, stem walls and pedestals.
“[We] then erected the steel girders, in addition to a cross girder,” Dirck said. “The cross girder was erected as the bridge is over a railroad and thus a pier could not be constructed in the middle section to support the girders.”
This stage of steel erection required multiple temporary support towers, along with complex traffic closures and detours.
Crews then formed and poured the concrete deck. Subcontractors applied the waterproofing membrane and paved the deck.
“[We] removed the existing concrete pavement under the existing roadway along Route 9 southbound and replaced this with processed aggregate to complete a new full depth reconstructed roadway,” Dirck added. “[We] also added new drainage structures along the existing southbound lanes.”
As in the previous phase, the final operation involved removing existing pavement markings, installing temporary traffic barriers, applying new epoxy pavement markings and shifting traffic into the newly completed section.
Similar construction equipment was used throughout the work.
Completing Northbound Section
After traffic was shifted from the existing northbound lanes to the new lanes built during the first two phases, TMC began demolishing the remaining northbound portion of the bridge. Crews then constructed the new substructure and superstructure using methods similar to those employed in the earlier phases.
“Upon completion of the bridge deck, TMC will shift traffic again to allow for the installation of median barrier along this section of Route 9,” Dirck said. “Upon completion, TMC will close and demolish the Route 9 on-ramp on Harbor Drive and shift traffic into its final condition. This condition will encompass the new acceleration lane, which eliminates the stop sign on the Route 17 on ramp to Route 9 northbound.”
The ongoing work has involved installing a support-of-excavation system using 40-ft. sheets, H-piles and lagging, followed by demolition of the existing superstructure and removal of its structural steel. Crews then demolished the existing substructure.
With demolition complete, TMC installed micropiles and formed and poured the concrete abutment foundations, followed by construction of the abutment stem walls and pedestals. Crews then erected the steel girders and remaining structural steel.
“[We are] currently forming the deck,” Dirck said. “Upon completion of formwork and rebar installation, TMC will pour the concrete deck and apply the cold liquid elastomeric membrane. [We will] then complete the full depth reconstruction and drainage work on Route 9 northbound and pave the entire area. Part of this full depth reconstruction will add the new acceleration lane from Route 17 northbound to Route 9 northbound, thus eliminating the stop sign.”
After completing that work, crews will shift traffic to permit installation of the median barrier along Route 9.
“Once that operation is complete, [crews] will install new sidewalks along Union Street, close and demolish the Route 9 on-ramp on Harbor Drive, and shift traffic into the final condition,” Dirck said.
The current phase continues to rely on construction materials and equipment similar to those used in the earlier stages.
Workforce, Subcontractors, Equipment Maintenance
A typical workday involves approximately 20 Middlesex employees and five subcontractor employees on site.
The principal subcontractors include Norwalk Marine, responsible for micropile installation; A&J Paving, handling paving operations; Safety Markings, responsible for applying and removing pavement markings; Alvarez, performing rebar installation; and Ferguson Electrical, handling electrical work.
The total quantities of materials generated by excavation and demolition, as well as the amounts of new materials used, have not yet been finalized. Whenever possible, materials are recycled on site or transported to recycling centers for processing.
Maintaining equipment reliability is another important part of keeping the project on schedule. Middlesex operates a maintenance program covering both its shop and field operations, with repairs addressed promptly and routine maintenance schedules maintained.
With bridge reconstruction, roadway widening, drainage installation and traffic reconfiguration all forming part of the work, the project requires careful coordination among the contractor, CTDOT, the railroad and subcontractors. Middlesex continues to target the end of 2027 for completion, when the new acceleration lane and revised interchange configuration are expected to improve safety and traffic flow through this heavily traveled section of Middletown.
