Lawmakers look to make dangerous stretch of I-95 safer [WFSB]

WFSB 3 Connecticut
More information was released regarding a deadly crash that happened on I-95 north in Old Lyme on Wednesday afternoon.

Two people were killed in the three-car crash, and the highway was shut down for several hours, finally reopening around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The two people who died were identified as 71-year-old Guilford resident Eleanor McCarthy and 72-year-old Ambler, Pa resident Iris Cooper.

During rush hour, that stretch of I-95 gets very busy, but some state leaders say Wednesday’s crash is more evidence that the area is dangerous for drivers all the time, and something needs to be done to deal with the problem.

“It’s typical. I went over the bridge and just saw smoke and I said that’s it and I saw every backed up,” said Peter Mountzoures, whose contracting business is located off exit 71.

He said he’s sad about the crash but isn’t shocked.

“It’s just uncanny it’s weird the way accidents happen there,” Mountzoures said.

According to the UConn crash repository, there have been four deadly wrecks and 62 collisions that caused injuries in the area near exits 70 and 71 between January of 2015 and this past August.

That’s nearly one every two weeks.

“It seems so needless and so sad and your heart goes out to all of the families that are involved. We just need to find a better way,” said Republican Senator Paul Formica, who represents Old Lyme.

He said something needs to change. He plans to ask the Department of Transportation to lower the speed limit here and widen the shoulder.

“I think the real answer given the difficulty of obtaining property on that stretch is just to try to increase the shoulder, and give those travelers somewhere to go should something unexpected happen in front of them,” Formica said.

He added that a similar project made Route 6 safer.

He understands money is tight but feels like the state needs to step up to make sure fewer families are impacted by crashes like Wednesdays.

“Sometimes we have to do what we have to do to protect the safety of the people of Connecticut,” Formica said, adding that he hopes to meet with the Department of Transportation officials soon.