If you drive Short Beach Road near Mansfield Grove, expect state work crews at the traffic light this fall. The Connecticut Department of Transportation says work to replace the signal’s in-pavement sensors with cameras and radar began Oct. 17, and it may bring lane restrictions on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Here is what is happening at that intersection, plus the I-95 lane closures starting next week just west of town.
Route 142 at Mansfield Grove Road
The intersection of Route 142 (Short Beach Road) and Mansfield Grove Road is East Haven’s only stop on a list of 12 state-owned signals in the New Haven and Hartford areas getting new vehicle detection, according to a CTDOT advisory.
Right now, many traffic signals sense waiting cars with wire loops cut into the pavement. CTDOT says the project replaces those loops with 360-degree stop bar detection cameras and “dilemma zone” detection radar units. The state says the goal is to cut vehicle delays and emissions.
- When: Work began Oct. 17, 2026. Crews work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- What to expect: Possible lane restrictions, with traffic control personnel and signs guiding drivers through the work zone.
- How long: The whole 12-location project is scheduled to be done by Dec. 22, 2027. CTDOT did not give a date for the East Haven intersection itself.
- Who: The NY-CONN Corp. won the $3,978,479 contract (CTDOT Project No. 0170-3742) on Sept. 2. CTDOT’s District 3 office in New Haven is overseeing it.
CTDOT says the schedule may change because of weather or other conditions, and it asks drivers to keep a safe speed through work areas.
Nearby, North Haven has three intersections on the same list: Route 103 (Quinnipiac Avenue) at Montowese Avenue and at McDermott Road, and Route 17 (Middletown Avenue) at Montowese Avenue. Madison’s Route 1 at Lovers Lane and Liberty Street is also on it.
I-95 lane closures start Oct. 26, just west of town
If you commute toward New Haven or Bridgeport, plan for overnight lane closures on I-95 starting Monday, Oct. 26. CTDOT says crews will clean out the catch basins, called scuppers, on I-95 bridges in both directions, according to an Oct. 16 advisory.
- Towns: New Haven, West Haven, Orange, Milford, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, Darien, Stamford and Greenwich. East Haven is not on the list.
- When: Monday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Dec. 4, from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday nights into Friday mornings. CTDOT says no work will be done around state holidays.
- Who: Latec LLC and state crews (Project DOT01730554CN), with crash units and signs guiding traffic.
On the horizon: the Route 1 rock slope
CTDOT has also had a larger East Haven project in design. In a January 2024 notice, the department said it planned to excavate and stabilize a rock slope along U.S. Route 1 southbound, where several small rock failures had happened, including one that put debris in the travel lane. The plan calls for about 570 feet of rock excavation, moving the base of the slope 20 feet back from the road.
That 2024 notice said design would wrap up in August 2026, with construction expected in spring 2027 if funding, right-of-way and permits came through. CTDOT has not posted an updated schedule. Questions go to CTDOT principal engineer Scott Bushee at 860-594-2079 or scott.bushee@ct.gov; refer to State Project No. 0043-0133.
Stay up to date
CTDOT posts new road work on its construction advisories page. To report a road problem or ask a question, use the Report an Issue link on CTDOT’s website.
Sources: CTDOT construction advisories, “Video Detection Upgrades at State-Owned Intersections in CT” (Sept. 17, 2026) and “Catch Basin Cleaning on I-95 in Southwest Connecticut” (Oct. 16, 2026); CTDOT press release on the Route 1 rock slope (Jan. 10, 2024).
Correction: An earlier version of this story gave daytime hours. CTDOT’s advisory lists the closures overnight, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
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