Community Corner

I-84 Closure Could Cause Major Traffic in Brookfield This Weekend

84 West closure this weekend near the New York border will likely cause congestion in Brookfield.

Written by Mark Langlois.

State crews will be replacing a bridge on I-84 westbound in Danbury this weekend, forcing the highway to close for the weekend near the New York border.

The construction will likely result in increased traffic on the surrounding backroads, including in Brookfield.

Construction crews have already built two replacement bridges next to the east- and westbound bridges over Dingle Ridge Road, near exit 1. On Sept. 21 and 22, workers will shut the highway, demolish the existing westbound bridge and slide the new bridge in place.


The process will be repeated on the eastbound side the next weekend after, though detours for that project won't lead through Brookfield.

"As soon as people driving west on 84 hit delays, they will get off the highway," Danbury Traffic Engineer Abdul Mohammed said, citing a recent tragedy on I-84 that closed the highway for several hours near exit 5.

Mohammed said when State Police closed 84 westbound, cars started pulling off the highway as far back as exit 10 in Newtown and at every exit in between.

"That was a typical example of what will happen" during the bridge work, Mohammed said. "Once they hit traffic, they get off."

Mohammed said the best thing people can do is not travel on I-84 this weekend.

"Stay away from the area," he said.


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