The Connecticut Department of Transportation is moving ahead with plans for a flex lane on Interstate 84 in Danbury aimed at easing daily gridlock. The proposal would use the left shoulder between Exits 3 and 7 as a travel lane during peak hours, controlled by overhead signs, with speeds reduced to 45 miles per hour when activated. CTDOT says the highway now carries about 110,000 vehicles a day and modeling shows evening eastbound travel times could drop 74 percent, from 31 minutes to 8 minutes. Morning westbound trips toward New York could fall by 22 percent. The project is estimated at $250 million, with construction targeted for 2028 and expected to take about three years. Public meetings are scheduled next week to gather input.