LITCHFIELD -- As work begins on a new courthouse in Torrington, plans are being made for the future use of the Litchfield Judicial District courthouse on West Street.
When the state Legislature approved the construction of a new 174,000-square-foot, $81 million building in Torrington, for which ground was broken in July, it was with the understanding that the courthouse in Litchfield would be repurposed. "Exactly what use the Litchfield courthouse will be put to is a bit up in the air," said Tom Siconolfi, executive director of administrative services for the state Judicial Branch."We'd like to find a use that will continue to bring people to the building. It is a draw for businesses in Litchfield's center and we want to maintain that situation. It wouldn't be used for administrative offices." The building constructed in 1889 doesn't meet the security requirements of a modern courthouse. How much work and how much money would be required to bring it up to code is still undetermined. CLICK ON TITLE TO CONTINUE
Options presented
BRISTOL — Jennifer Arasimowicz, chairman of the Bristol Downtown Development Corp., laid out the options for Renaissance Downtowns Tuesday night.
The Long Island-based developer presented a plan for the 17-acre Depot Square downtown site known as Building A, an approximately 100-unit apartment building with limited first floor retail space, for which they want a $6 million investment from the city to construct, she said at the joint session of the BDDC and the City Council. However, the city wanted a plan that included a public piazza, so Renaissance in August submitted a second plan, known as Building B, to meet that request. The developers want a $12 million investment by the city, Arasimowicz explained to the overflow crowd at City Hall. Once the current round of public hearings is over, the BDDC will meet and make a recommendation to the council, she said. CLICK ON TITLE TO CONTINUE
Fredrick Street bridge to be replaced
BRISTOL — The city will replace the Frederick Street Bridge beginning later this month.
Work is scheduled to start Sept. 29 and the bridge will be closed to through traffic from Oct. 6 to May 30 2015. Replacing the bridge will consist of removing the existing bridge, making minor channel improvements along the Coppermine Brook to enhance flow through the bridge and constructing a new bridge. The contractor, Dayton Construction, is scheduled to work through winter. The project area is limited to the area of the existing bridge and approximately 300 feet down stream of the bridge and 170 feet upstream of the bridge. Detour signage will be in place to assist in directing traffic around the construct site prior the the bridge closing.
Governor Malloy CT DOT exceeds goal of advertising of transportation projects
HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) has exceeded its goal of advertising $1 billion worth of bids on construction projects in the current federal fiscal year by 20 percent. At the end of the fiscal year on September 30, ConnDOT will have advertised bidding on $1.2 billion for 107 individual projects across Connecticut. “According the Federal Highway Administration, 21 jobs are created or sustained for every $1 million in transportation infrastructure spending, meaning that $1.2 billion translates to 25,200 jobs in direct construction and supplier jobs,” said Governor Malloy. “Many thousands of additional jobs are sustained indirectly by transportation spending, ranging from sandwich vendors on construction sites to engineering firms that design major projects.” Highlights of the projects advertised this fiscal year include:
Widening of I-84 in Waterbury, $403 million;
New Haven Commuter Rail Line overhead power line replacement, $116 million;
New stations on the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line (in Wallingford, Berlin and Meriden), $70 million;
Road and safety improvements in Stratford, $29 million;
Replacement of four Route 8 bridges in Bridgeport, $41 million;
Resurfacing of some 264 miles of roads around the state, $71 million;
Bus Maintenance Facility in Watertown, $85 million.
“The construction industry is the initial return on investment as these projects come on line,” said Don Shubert, president of the Connecticut Construction Industries Association. “With ConnDOT leveraging its resources and developing an ambitious program, our industry is stepping up its efforts to provide opportunities for people to work in good-paying jobs. That is just the initial return. These projects reach much farther than our industry. They drive economic activity, provide safer and more efficient transportation choices, and the put the infrastructure in place to support economic growth and prosperity for future generations. “As we make investments in transportation improvements around our state, we are putting people to work,” said ConnDOT Commissioner James P. Redeker. “When we unveiled our 2014-2018 Capital Investment Plan, we estimated that we would advertise about 80 projects this year valued at approximately $1 billion ($800 million contract value only). As the fiscal year comes to an end, we have delivered on that promise – and much more.” ConnDOT oversees and maintains an extensive network of roads and bridges, commuter rail lines, public transit bus operations, ports and two seasonal ferries across the Connecticut River. Citizens are encouraged to submit their ideas regarding the future of transportation in Connecticut online at www.transformct.org.
Hazardous material to be removed from Sikorsky airport
The U.S. Environmental Protection agency is holding a public hearing Wednesday to discuss the removal of 14,000 cubic yards of hazardous materials in Bridgeport as part of the Sikorsky Airport Improvements Project. The material is coming out of the Raymark Industries Superfund Site. Raymark manufactured auto parts until 1989, and the site is contaminated with asbestos, lead, and copper, among other soil hazards. EPA will hold a public hearing from 4-9 p.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph's Parish Hall at 1300 Main St. in Bridgeport to discuss the removal of the materials. The removal is necessary for the Sikorsky Airport project to proceed, as it involves relocating some surrounding roads. Heavy construction equipment will be used to excavate soil. A staging area will store and stabilize it; and trucking will be arranged for disposing material to appropriate out-of-state waste disposal facilities. Clean fill will be brought in.
Spectra Energy looking to expand pipeline capacity in Glastonbury
GLASTONBURY — Nearly 15 years ago, a natural gas pipeline was installed reaching from the banks of the Connecticut River in South Glastonbury across southern and eastern portions of town.
Now, Spectra Energy and its Algonquin Gas Transmission System have returned to Glastonbury and are seeking to expand the line, not only through town, but across the state. The aim of Spectra's Atlantic Bridge Project is to provide enough pipeline capacity to connect abundant natural gas supplies with markets in New England and the Maritime provinces. About 10 miles of new 36-inch diameter pipeline would be installed from Cromwell under the Connecticut River across town. The pipeline runs mostly through fields and forests, although it also passes through some residential neighborhoods. Survey crews have been working with property owners on extending the right of way from 75 feet to 150 feet. CLICK ON TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Haven, West Haven, UNH break ground on new magnet school
WEST HAVEN >> Officials from both New Haven and West Haven turned out Tuesday to celebrate the start of construction for the new, University of New Haven-affiliated Engineering & Science University Magnet School, widely known by its acronym, ESUMS. “We are so excited. We waited so long for this day to come,” ESUMS Principal Medria Blue-Ellis told a crowd gathered beneath a white tent that included a number of blue-and-white pom pom-waving ESUMS students. She and other officials spoke just prior to the groundbreaking for the college-preparatory inter-district magnet school. It will be built in what now is a UNH parking lot at the end of Isadore Street, adjacent to a UNH athletic field. CLICK ON TITLE TO CONTINUE
Cheshire company ordered to pay $15.8M for Penn crash
PITTSBURGH — A Connecticut construction company should pay a western Pennsylvania woman $15.8 million for injuries she suffered in a work zone crash a day before her daughter's wedding five years ago, a western Pennsylvania jury ruled. A spokeswoman for Lane Construction Corp. of Cheshire, Conn., said the company hasn't decided whether to appeal Monday's verdict in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Brenda Gump-Schragl, 56, sued claiming the Route 51 construction site was dangerous and that the company made no changes despite previous crashes along the construction zone in Pleasant Hills, a Pittsburgh suburb. The woman was injured when her son, Daniel Gump, tried to turn left from the northbound lanes of the highway into a restaurant for his sister's rehearsal dinner on June 11, 2009. Their car was hit by a driver coming in the other direction who didn't see the Gump vehicle because of traffic backed up in a southbound turning lane. Gump-Schragl was in a coma for five weeks, has no short-term memory, and relies on a walker due to her injuries. Her daughter's marriage was postponed for a year due to the crash. Claims against the other driver and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation were previously settled. The jury found the other driver 42 percent responsible for the crash and PennDOT 40 percent responsible. Although Lane Construction was deemed only 18 percent responsible, under Pennsylvania law the company is liable for the entire damage verdict because the other defendants had already settled. The company's attorney, Mark McKenna, had argued at trial that the contractor didn't have the authority to change the traffic control plan designed by PennDOT.
10 Fastest growing occupations in the US
Using data from the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections report, we compiled a list of the 10 occupations forecasted to grow the fastest from 2012 to 2022. We also filtered for professions that pay a median wage of at least $51,000, which is the median income for households in the U.S. The jobs span a variety of industries, but most require at least a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. A handful require even further secondary education, while others can be self taught. Click through to see which occupations made the list. CLICK ON TITLE TO CONTINUE