State officials want Waterbury's Mixmaster – the Route 8 and Interstate 84 interchange - to meet current design standards, but such upgrades are estimated to cost billions of dollars.
The Mixmaster was built in the 1960's, and changes were made in the 1990’s, according to Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker.
And with 50 years being the usual life span of a bridge, he said it’s time for it to meet current design standards.
“Which will include having a full capacity of three lane I-84 from border to border - that’s what we’re hoping to have border to border widening the highway,” said Redeker.
The project also calls for improving the ramp system, as it has deteriorated throughout the years.
Redeker said the project could cost approximately $8 billion dollars.
It’s too early to know where the money would come from and when the project would start, but the public process starts this year to pick consultants who will figure out a plan to replace the bridge with the least disruption to traffic.
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“We have been deploying accelerated bridge techniques where we can just drop a bridge in,” said Redeker.
Some people like Wanda Chiles say driving through the Mixmaster isn’t so smooth.
“Quite frankly, it actually scary driving on it. The lanes are narrow, to get from one exit to another sometimes we call it the suicide cross over,” Chiles said.
Redeker said the benefits of the project will outweigh the costs and will bring thousands of jobs to the area.
