Proposed Long Island to Connecticut bridge would include train tracks
Supporters say the project could ease congestion along Interstate 95, shorten travel times between New England and Long Island and provide commuters with additional transportation options.
A new transportation proposal could one day create a direct link between Long Island and Connecticut through a bridge, tunnel and even rail service across the Long Island Sound.
Developers behind the Connecticut-Long Island Initiative are proposing a 14-mile crossing connecting the Sunken Meadow Parkway in Suffolk County to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Supporters say the project could ease congestion along Interstate 95, shorten travel times between New England and Long Island and provide commuters with additional transportation options.
The proposal calls for four lanes of traffic connecting Long Island and Connecticut. Plans also include rail tracks.
“The two busiest commuter railroads in the United States are the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North,” said developer Steve Shapiro. “If we could put a train on this as well to connect those two, it would be huge for environmental savings and commuting. If you live in Connecticut, you can leave your car and take the train to LaGuardia or Kennedy.”
Developers estimate the project would cost approximately $50 billion. Shapiro says securing the necessary approvals could take about five years before construction could begin.
He says construction itself would take five to 10 years to complete.
