Connecticut To Replace Elevated Double-Decker Highway Over Waterbury

WATERBURY, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Plans are underway to eventually replace one of the most heavily traveled elevated intersections in Connecticut.

Built almost 50 years ago, the double-decker highway over Waterbury carries almost 150,000 cars and trucks a day. That's triple the traffic the high-speed interchange of Route 8 and I-84 first carried.

It's a complex project that Gov. Dannel Malloy said will cost billions of dollars to replace and take several years to rebuild.

"We're moving this forward," Malloy said. "It needs to be moved forward. You cannot have a system fall down on itself and we're making investments now that will really make Connecticut competitive for the next 50 years."

Designers of the new elevated highway have been selected, but it's estimated it may take up to five years before the construction begins, WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau reported.

"I think no one would design that project the way it was constructed and therefore we need a whole new design approach to its replacement," Malloy said.

Repair work continues to make the highway safe until construction gets underway, Malloy said.