Why the idea of a bridge across the Long Island Sound won't die

When a Connecticut-based housing developer proposed a $50 billion bridge across Long Island Sound recently, he garnered a flurry of local media coverage .

Given Long Island’s cul-de-sac geography and notorious traffic, any proposal to boost connectivity is bound to get attention on the Island.

But the idea itself is not new: Proposals for a cross-Sound bridge go back to at least 1938. Most recently, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo commissioned a $5 million feasibility study for a bridge or tunnel crossing in 2017.

Supporters of the idea argue it could bolster Long Island’s economy, increase access to New England and facilitate evacuations in the case of a major hurricane or other disaster. But past efforts have failed because of their cost, environmental impact and opposition from communitie