Frederick Street Bridge to be replaced this year
The aging Frederick Street bridge, which spans the Copper Mine Brook, and has been rated in “critical” condition by the state for years, is slated for replacement this year.
Bids are due by Feb. 19 for a project the city has already bonded for $1.4 million. The work includes replacing the 32-foot bridge with a new 40-foot span that officials hope will alleviate at least some of the flooding that routinely affects the area during heavy rains. Included in the project is dredging 350 feet of the stream and reconstructing 500 feet of roadway. Experts from the Cheshire-based Milone & MacBroom engineering consulting firm recommended the move in 2009 as the best step to relieve flooding in the neighborhood. During the 300-day construction project, the bridge will be closed. The goal, officials said, is for all the dredging work to be done by Sept. 30 and to have the road reopened no later than Nov. 30. The project terms include a $400-a-day fine for each day the reopening is delayed past that date. ity officials have said the bridge is safe despite its low ratings from the state Department of Transportation, but agreed it was time to replace it, for both safety and flood control reaons. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Hybrid plan maked the cut for middle school
Plans to renovate the 54 year-old North Haven Middle School are moving ahead quickly. Lst week, residents voted to allow the North Haven Middle School Building Committee to go forward with the "hybrid option" to renovate the school by hiring an architect for the $46.9 million project. The hybrid option includes plans for a new school wing to be built, while still allowing classes and other school activities to be ongoing at the same time. The option the town is moving forward with calls for a state reimbursement rate of 39.64 percent. Building Committee Chairman Gary Johns said benefits of the approved option include maintaining the facility's close proximity to the high school, lack of impact to existing sports fields, and absence of exposure to asbestos and other materials during renovations.
First Selectman Mike Freda said he expects "to hold a townwide referendum vote on the entire project, probably in June." Freda said it is his goal to "get the project done, because the school is in need of repair, but to do it with as little impact as possible to the taxpayer. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
CT Studios set for $25M fuel cell park
South Windsor production facility Connecticut studios has agreed to buy fuel cells from ClearEdge Power for its $25 million energy park. The installation of the 4.98 megawatt fuel cell park using 12 ClearEdge fuel cells is key to the financing of the moviemaking studio, as the renewable energy credits earned by generated power using clean technology will help pay for the construction.
The fuel cells from ClearEdge, which also is based in South Windsor, will generate enough low-emissions energy equivalent of taking 622 cars off the road and planting 351 acres of trees.
The first phase The Connecticut Studios project include four movie studios, a hotel, and a mill factory used for making movie sets. The second phase could include two more movie studios and a television studio.