OP's road trip is still 4 months away and I would highly recommend as it closer, 1 to 2 weeks out, to check CT's DOT website for construction updates & road closure, etc. on preferrred, secondary and backup routes.

DOT's website has excellent real-time traffic cameras that can be accessed on the road OTA on a smartphone NOT by the driver but by other riders/passengers traveling together. I travel back & forth on the I-95 and Merritt Pkwy corridors between NYC and RI borders year round, one isn't always better than the other and BOTH have daytime (offpeak) and overnight constructions all along - sometimes triggering massive 5 to 10 miles traffic backup with single/double lane closures, often 1 to 2 miles before the actual contruction zone. Even if you do not monitor real-time traffic cameras on the go, the large highway overhead LED signs are fairly accurate in issuing advanced warnings of accidents, road work & detours miles ahead - giving drivers familiar with local detours or bypass the chance to bail out or just pull off for a rest.

Coming from NJ side, my recommendations would be to take the best route to bypass NYC completely, the Tappan Z. Bridge is probably the best as long as GSP isn't badly jammed as you get close in the NY area - and if there are no overnight road work on the Merritt Pkwy, use that route and merge back to I-95 at Milford (Exit 54) putting you back on I-95 North at Exit 38. The major bottleneck aorund the clock in the past year has been around Exit 45 with massive highway rebuilding and new ramps - once you get thru, posted speed limit become 65 MPH around Exit 54 as you head uphill and 3 lanes becomes 2 lanes. Traffic tend to flow along around 70 mph, conditions permitting (summer is unpredictable with campers & RV's sometimes buzzing along at leisure speed or SUV with boats or horse trailers) and without constructions - you should be good all the way to the RI border.

If you use Google Map to Navigate, driving times to destination are pretty accurate, reflecting real-time traffic info, and invaluable to plan your time & consider alternate options.