The New Mix

The New Mix is the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (CTDOT) program dedicated to planning for the long-term future of the Interstate 84 / Route 8 interchange in Waterbury, Connecticut. Commonly referred to as “the Mixmaster,” the interchange opened to the public in 1968. CTDOT is planning for the future of the Mixmaster as it will approach the end of its serviceable lifespan in about 25 years.

Through the New Mix program CTDOT, with public and stakeholder input, will analyze and weigh various rehabilitation and replacement options in order to develop an actionable plan to modernize and improve the safety and functionality of the interchange.

Reconstruction of an interchange of this magnitude, whether through replacement or an intensive rehabilitation, requires a large amount of time and advanced planning in order to properly phase and fund the program. Therefore, the New Mix program will likely be phased with breakout projects that will occur over a number of years.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW MIX PROGRAM

EXPLORE PROJECT ALTERNATIVES

An old photo of when the Mixmaster first opened.
When it opened in 1968, the Interstate 84 and Route 8 interchange in Waterbury—commonly known as the Mixmaster—was an innovative example of modern engineering.
An image from 1960 of stacked bridges.
In the 1960s, stacked bridges were novel and allowed the interchange to be constructed in a smaller footprint.
A graphic displaying estimated cars on the road.
The Mixmaster was designed to accommodate approximately 100,000 motor vehicle trips per day. Currently, about 190,000 motor vehicle trips occur along the interchange each day. By 2045, this number is expected to approach 225,000 motor vehicle trips per day!
An image of construction occurring on the Mixmaster.
The original Mixmaster had a lifespan of approximately 50-60 years, which has been extended through multiple, major rehabilitations.
Arial shot of the interchange
…but continued rehabilitation will not be able to improve the interchange to modern safety and operational standards.
The New Mix logo
The New Mix is the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s forward-looking program to develop a plan for the future of the Mixmaster….
Arial shot of the Waterbury
….that will improve the safety and functionality of the interchange, reduce the amount of time commuters spend stuck in traffic, complement the economic development goals of the City of Waterbury, and serve Connecticut’s transportation needs for decades to come.

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