Governor Dannel P. Malloy said that widening Interstate 84 in both directions through Danbury is critical for economic growth in western Connecticut, as well as easing rush-hour traffic along that heavily congested section of the highway to improve quality of life.

The I-84 corridor through the western part of the state carries more than 125,000 vehicles on an average weekday, resulting in busy morning and evening peak hours.

“Congested roads are bad for business and bad for families – and we need to fix them. They make us less attractive for businesses and force us to spend dozens and dozens of hours away from each other. This is all part of the dialogue about whether Connecticut wants to have a best-in-class transportation system,” Governor Malloy said. “Widening I-84 in Danbury is a common sense solution and part of our long-range vision to rebuild our transportation infrastructure through the middle of this century.”

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is now focusing on widening a five-mile section of the highway between Exits 3 and 8 in Danbury – where significant chokepoints develop on a daily basis on I-84 in that region of the state.

Governor Malloy will spell out his vision for Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure when he delivers his budget address to the General Assembly next month.