WALLINGFORD — Plans for a state Department of Transportation project meant to ease traffic and improve safety at the intersection of Routes 68 and 150 are expected to be finished this summer.
When the project was initially presented to the town by the DOT in November 2011, state officials said final design plans would be complete by October 2012, with construction expected to begin in 2013. The project is estimated to cost $1.2 million, with 80 percent of the money coming from the federal government and 20 percent from the state. The project is “pretty much” on schedule, Town Engineer John Thompson said. An update from the state indicated that final design work will be completed by July. The project will be advertised for public bidding this fall and construction should begin by spring 2015, he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
WALLINGFORD — As part of the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line that could begin service by 2016, the state Department of Transportation needs to install a second track to accommodate up to 25 daily round trips.Town Engineer John Thompson said the second track should be installed by 2015, but there are “a myriad of issues” with the installation, he told the Economic Development Commission this week, especially since Wallingford has seven rail crossings, the most of any town on the line. The biggest issue, he said, is how access to Toelles Road will be affected when the DOT installs the second track.“Their plan is to close the road for the installation,” Thompson told the commission. “In my opinion, that’s completely unacceptable.”On Tuesday, Thompson said DOT plans show that access to Toelles Road from Route 5 would need to be closed during the track installation. There are several businesses on Toelles Road that would be affected by the closure, including Nucor Steel, FedEx Ground and Ametek Specialty Metal Products, he said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Guilford construction contract awarded to build boardwalk
A bid to build a 107-foot-long boardwalk and overlook platform at Guilford's Chittenden Park Trailhead has been awarded in the amount of $73,900 to Diversified Contractors. The town will be purchasing the diamond piers needed for the project with a price tag of $23,707, bringing the total cost of the entire project to $97,607. The boardwalk, which will replace the makeshift, matted-down path that currently leads visitors from the park area to the dunes, will consist of a walkway as well as a viewing platform area, complete with benches. It will be sustainably constructed and handicapped-accessible, affording visitors, hikers, and nature enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the shoreline at the trail's most southern point. The non-profit Connecticut Forest & Park Association nhas committed $80,000 to the town for the project, and the Guilford Parks & Recreation Commission has approved $20,000 from the reimbursable account for the construction of the boardwalk. "This is a big deal for the town," said Parks & Recreation Director Rick Maynard. "Once this is completed, it will be a beautiful, handicapped-accessible walkway for people to enjoy. Plus, it is the gateway to the New England National Scenic Trail." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Repairs to North Stonnington Dam on agenda
North Stonington - The state General Assembly's bond committee will hear a bill proposal this week that seeks $450,000 to repair the Lewis Pond Dam - known locally as the Hewitt Farm Dam - four years after it was breached in the landmark March 2010 flood. First Selectman Nicholas Mullane said Tuesday night that the town asked for the funding last year, but state Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, and state Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, were unable to propose the bill until this year. Karl Acimovic, the engineer in charge of designing the dam repairs, spoke at the Board of Selectmen meeting Tuesday, saying plans originally had been intended to be basic and cosmetic in nature. The flood changed that, he said, and the repair designs - including increasing the capacity of the dam's spillways - have to meet new Department of Energy & Environmental Protection requirements.
Guilford construction contract awarded to build boardwalk
A bid to build a 107-foot-long boardwalk and overlook platform at Guilford's Chittenden Park Trailhead has been awarded in the amount of $73,900 to Diversified Contractors. The town will be purchasing the diamond piers needed for the project with a price tag of $23,707, bringing the total cost of the entire project to $97,607. The boardwalk, which will replace the makeshift, matted-down path that currently leads visitors from the park area to the dunes, will consist of a walkway as well as a viewing platform area, complete with benches. It will be sustainably constructed and handicapped-accessible, affording visitors, hikers, and nature enthusiasts the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the shoreline at the trail's most southern point. The non-profit Connecticut Forest & Park Association nhas committed $80,000 to the town for the project, and the Guilford Parks & Recreation Commission has approved $20,000 from the reimbursable account for the construction of the boardwalk. "This is a big deal for the town," said Parks & Recreation Director Rick Maynard. "Once this is completed, it will be a beautiful, handicapped-accessible walkway for people to enjoy. Plus, it is the gateway to the New England National Scenic Trail." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Repairs to North Stonnington Dam on agenda
North Stonington - The state General Assembly's bond committee will hear a bill proposal this week that seeks $450,000 to repair the Lewis Pond Dam - known locally as the Hewitt Farm Dam - four years after it was breached in the landmark March 2010 flood. First Selectman Nicholas Mullane said Tuesday night that the town asked for the funding last year, but state Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, and state Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, were unable to propose the bill until this year. Karl Acimovic, the engineer in charge of designing the dam repairs, spoke at the Board of Selectmen meeting Tuesday, saying plans originally had been intended to be basic and cosmetic in nature. The flood changed that, he said, and the repair designs - including increasing the capacity of the dam's spillways - have to meet new Department of Energy & Environmental Protection requirements.