I-95 and Route 15 Will Run on Dunkin', Eat Fresh, and Go Green

Exciting changes are coming for the busy I-95 corridor which hosts the state's largest rest areas.

Travelers there have been greeted with the famous Golden Arches since 1985. When the Milford plazas closed for construction last December and the McDonald's signs were removed, rumors spread that all 10 of the I-95 restaurants would be closing.

In the end, Big Macs will still be sold at the eight largest I-95 facilities, including Milford, when it reopens in early 2012.

UCONN Women Basketball fans are optimistic that a Geno Auriemma's Fast Break will open in Milford and possibly the other larger I-95 plazas. Michael Modine, Project Services Director of Operations confirmed negotiations regarding that restaurant, as well as additional retail and food offerings, are still ongoing. Fast Break has a food court and pub inside the Mohegan Sun.

Milford visitors, which averaged over 4,200 a day before its closing, will be greeted with a newly renovated northbound facility and a new building on the southbound side. Neighbors are hoping the project will resolve drainage issues.

The largest I-95 plazas currently feature Lavaza Coffee, Original Pizza of Boston, Edy's Ice Cream, and Faber Gift Shop.

Work will begin on the I-95 Darien plazas in 2012. More than 4,700 vehicles daily enter the Darien northbound facility, home to the busiest McDonald's in the country. Northbound and southbound facilities will be demolished and replaced with new larger buildings.

After work is started in Darien, other I-95 plaza renovations will occur in Branford, Madison and Fairfield.

To meet and improve trucker needs, 120 additional truck parking spaces will be added to the Darien, Fairfield, and Milford while 82 truck spaces in I-95 plazas will feature idle reduction technology.

This fall, renovations will start on the Greenwich plazas, on Route 15, those closest to New York, and the Fairfield plazas. Next in line for renovations are plazas in New Canaan and Orange. They all will be similar to the North Haven facilities which reopened earlier this year after extensive renovations including the addition of a Fast Freddie's convenience store.

The North Haven plazas meet top environmental "silver LEED" standards. Solar panels were installed along with state-of-the-art energy efficient heating and air conditioning units. Restrooms use less water and feature motion-activated lights.

This blogger visited the North Haven facilities after they first reopened and noticed the vast improvements. Also noticeable was the lack of indoor and outdoor seating perhaps due to lack of space.

Its part of a $178 million initiative by Project Service, LLC to renovate 23 service plazas along, I-395, I-95 and Route 15. The company will manage the plazas for 35 years as part of a contract with Connecticut. All 23 plazas will feature a Subway, Dunkin' Donuts and a Mobil gas station.

The project is helping Connecticut's economy as it created 100 new temporary construction jobs and will, at completion, create up to 200 new full-time and part-time positions alongside 40 custodial positions. This is in addition to the 750 workers currently at the plazas.

All renovated facilities will reopen by May 2015 which will not be affected by state budget cuts.