A proposal to build a bridge linking Long Island to Connecticut is once again sparking conversation—and controversy—nearly a century after the idea first surfaced.

The latest plan, introduced by Connecticut developer Steve Shapiro, calls for a 14-mile span stretching across Long Island Sound from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to the Sunken Meadow Parkway on Long Island’s North Shore. If completed, the project would mark the first direct roadway connection between Long Island and New England.

Supporters say the bridge could transform regional travel, easing congestion and offering an alternative route for drivers who currently must pass through New York City to reach the mainland.

“We have such an opportunity in Connecticut and on Long Island to connect our two regions,” Shapiro said in a promotional video.

The proposed crossing would cost an estimated $50 billion to construct, with tolls projected at roughly $39 each way. Plans could also include a rail component to accommodate both passenger and freight service.

The idea of a cross-sound bridge is not new. Discussions date back to the 1930s, but repeated proposals over the decades have failed to gain enough political or public support to move forward.

At Sunken Meadow State Park, where the bridge could make landfall, residents and visitors expressed mixed reactions.

“I think it’s helpful with traffic—alleviating congestion trying to get to the city,” said Gus Hueber of East Northport.

Others worry about the environmental and cultural impact on Long Island’s character.

“It would destroy this area,” said Maureen Abbatecola of Kings Park. “It might make it easier for people to get on and off Long Island, but it’s also very special that this is an island—and that might take some of that away.”

Shapiro has suggested a potential compromise to address environmental concerns, including a hybrid design that would tunnel a portion of the route beneath the shoreline near the park.

“You could tunnel it under about a mile or two offshore and then go under the park,” he said.

In Connecticut, a bill that would authorize a feasibility study for the bridge was introduced in the state assembly but has not yet advanced out of committee. Despite that, Shapiro remains optimistic, emphasizing that cooperation between New York, Connecticut, and the federal government would be key to making the project a reality.

For now, the proposal remains in its early stages—but as it has for generations, the idea of bridging Long Island Sound continues to divide opinion on both sides of the water.

There’s already an AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut Toro; it measures 6 1/4 x 52. In a month, there will also be a 6 x 52 toro.

It’s not simply a quarter-inch of difference in length. The new Tubo is a round cigar while the original Toro is box-pressed. Also, as the name implies, the Tubo will come individually packaged in tubes. Blend-wise, the two cigars are the same: an Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed wrapper over Nicaraguan tobaccos grown by AGANORSA. The line is made at the company’s factory in Nicaragua.

The AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut Tubo has an MSRP of $19.99 and comes in boxes of 10 cigars.

“The Aniversario Connecticut Tubo offers a perfect combination of elegance, convenience, and flavor,” said Terence Reilly, vp of sales & marketing for AGANORSA Leaf, in a press release. “It’s an ideal cigar for both longtime fans of the brand and smokers discovering Aganorsa for the first time.”

AGANORSA Leaf will show off the Aniversario Connecticut Tubo to retailers during the 2026 PCA Convention & Trade Show, which takes place April 18-20 in New Orleans. The company says it will ship the cigar to stores in late April.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. Previously, I started TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors blogs of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry since 2010, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. Beyond writing, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff from weighing cigars to coordinating the tech. Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.

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A teen is suffering non-life-threatening injuries from a gunshot wound after a shooting in Hartford on Monday morning, police said.

Hartford Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert said officers were dispatched to the area of East Street around 6:45 a.m. When they arrived, they found a 14-year-old victim with a gunshot wound. The victim is being treated at a local hospital.

“It is not believed that the incident occurred on East Street,” Boisvert wrote in a press release.

Police do not know where the shooting occurred, according to Boisvert.

The Hartford Police Major Crimes and Crime Scene Divisions are investigating the incident.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information regarding the case is asked to call the Hartford Police tip line at 860-722-TIPS (8477).