Middletown, Connecticut, sits along the Connecticut River about 15 miles south of Hartford, where Routes 17 and 9 briefly overlap. At that junction, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and general contractor Middlesex Corporation are reconfiguring the Route 17 on-ramp to Route 9 northbound — a project expected to dramatically improve safety at the stop-controlled intersection.
There have been a high number of rear-end crashes at the Route 9 northbound and Route 17 northbound interchange.
According to the CTDOT website, the “latest available three-year crash data throughout the project limits (January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020) reported 340 crashes with 60 injuries. A total of 249 crashes occurred in the vicinity of the stop-controlled interchange during this time, with 244 (98 percent) of them being rear-end crashes.”
The 2025 average daily traffic was approximately 71,000 vehicles for Route 9, 15,000 vehicles for Route 17, and 5,800 vehicles for the Route 17 northbound on-ramp to Route 9 northbound. The project is taking place on Route 17.
“Route 9 overlaps Route 17 through a portion of this project. Main Street Extension is a local roadway located south of downtown Main Street,” said Seth Burgess, CTDOT Transportation Supervising Engineer from District 1. “Union Street, River Road, and Harbor Drive are also local roadways and provide access to Harbor Park and waterfront properties.”
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| Linder Industrial Machinery |
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
The CTDOT website describes the Route 17 northbound on-ramp to Route 9 northbound as a skewed, stop-controlled intersection featuring a short acceleration lane and spanning both Union Street and an active Providence and Worcester (P&W) rail line. The entrance from Harbor Drive to Route 9 northbound is just north of the on-ramp, further contributing to this congested corridor.
To reduce the number of crashes in the area, CTDOT is implementing various improvements, including:
- Removing the existing stop sign control from the Route 17 on-ramp onto Route 9
- Providing a full-length acceleration lane for Route 17 northbound traffic to merge onto Route 9 northbound
- Reconstructing the bridge that carries Route 9 over Union Street
- Realigning the Route 17 southbound on-ramp with the Route 17 southbound off-ramp and signalizing it to create a more typical intersection configuration
- Adding new sidewalks on the east side of Main Street Extension to improve pedestrian connectivity
- Building a pedestrian access point
- Constructing a noise wall along the Route 17 northbound on-ramp from Main Street Extension
A noise analysis determined that anticipated sound levels would exceed federal thresholds, necessitating construction of a noise barrier to achieve compliance in specific areas of Route 17.
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| Linder Industrial Machinery |
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
The team will widen the structure that carries Route 9 northbound over Union Street and P&W rail line to the west, providing an additional lane for the on-ramp while addressing maintenance concerns and providing flexibility in pier placement based on site constraints.
“The acceleration lane will require realignment of Route 9 and the closure of the Harbor Drive on-ramp onto Route 9 northbound,” Burgess said.
Middletown’s population is just south of 50,000. According to the Connecticut Tourism Office website, downtown Main Street is “filled with international restaurants, shops, entertainment, and family-friendly spots.” The job site is located within a densely developed part of the city.
There is also a railroad in the project area, as the bridge spans the active Providence and Worcester rail line, which passes diagonally from the west side of Route 9 to the east side through the existing bridge pier.
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| Linder Industrial Machinery |
| Linder Industrial Machinery |
“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,” Burgess said.
This complication encouraged and necessitated greater communication.
“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,” Burgess said.
To date, coordination between those directly impacted stakeholders, including both the City of Middletown and the P&W rail line, has supported the successful progression of project activities with minimal delays.
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| Dobbs Equipment (SC) |
| Dobbs Equipment (SC) |
The physical constraints of the area have also been an added challenge. Route 9, a four-lane divided expressway, is set between the Connecticut River on one side and the Middletown Central Business District on the other. The work zone is just south of two signalized at-grade intersections.
Headquartered in nearby Littleton, Massachusetts, the Middlesex Corporation was founded in 1972 and has various companies throughout the United States. They also have a regional office in West Haven, Connecticut. The company aims to employ the most current technology on their projects, which was a factor in Middlesex Corporation winning the job.
“Middlesex Corporation submitted a value engineering proposal, which was accepted by the CTDOT to reduce the number of deep foundation micropiles required for the new structure,” Burgess said. “Their proposal increased the diameter and casing thickness of the contract pile design and made use of a number of battered micropiles to reduce the number of piles from 268 to 118.”
The significant reduction in micropiles brings multiple benefits:
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| Richmond Machinery & Equipment |
| Richmond Machinery & Equipment |
- Lower cost: Due to fewer drill holes, smaller pile caps, and reduced steel, grout, and labor
- Accelerated schedule: Faster drilling, grouting, and testing, along with earlier start of the superstructure
- Environmental advantages: Less spoil, lower material usage, reduced carbon footprint, and minimized site disturbance
- Efficient logistics: Fewer deliveries, simplified staging, and lower handling risk, which is especially valuable in constrained or urban sites
Overall, CTDOT has been pleased with the general contractor.
“Middlesex has exhibited quality in site workmanship [and] has made use of equipment that is in good working and generally newer condition,” Burgess said. “Their staff has been responsive to project issues and regularly communicates with the owner’s representatives. The commitment to a safe work site is evident.”
The project's construction budget is $54 million. Currently, the project is on budget and is being funded through the traditional 80/20 split between the federal and state governments.
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| SITECH Mid-South |
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Construction on the project began in early spring 2023 and is projected to be completed by the end of 2027, as scheduled. Keeping it on schedule, however, has been a challenge.
“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,” Burgess said. “Keeping the work progressing and on schedule requires all stakeholders to recognize and respond to potential delays in a deliberate and cooperative manner.”
Upon completion, CTDOT expects drivers in Middletown to experience far fewer rear-end crashes. The project also advances the eventual removal of the two Route 9 at-grade intersection traffic signals, which will further improve safety and mobility in the greater Hartford area.
- Owner/Designer/Engineer: Connecticut Department of Transportation
- General Contractor: Middlesex Corporation, Littleton, Massachusetts
- Consultant Inspection: Atane Engineers, New York, New York
