NORWALK — As the state moves forward with an estimated $700 million plan to replace the Walk Bridge over the Norwalk River, some local residents believe a much cheaper fix would better serve the public.
Bob Kunkel, president of Alternative Marine Technologies, a shipbuilding company that designed the R/V Spirit of the Sound for The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, says the bridge can be repaired.
“It is our opinion that rebuilding the existing bridge in place, updating its structural design and fixing the bridge in the closed position will greatly improve the economics, reduce the time period of the construction and drastically reduce both the environmental impact to the harbor and the economic impact to the citizens and companies already affected in Norwalk,” Kunkel said.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation plans to spend up to $700 million to replace the bridge, build a rail dockyard and make track improvements.
As an alternative, Kunkel says ConnDOT should repair the existing bridge, which pivots open to allow vessels to pass, and leave it in the closed position afterward. Barges could pass beneath the closed bridge, which has a 16-foot clearance, through use of a low-profile tugboat that he has designed.
“Every port in the world deals with this issue when ships, tugs and barges approach their harbor,” said Kunkel, who also operate Harbor Harvest, a Cove Avenue business that sells farm-to-market food. “Much like the Norwalk problem the height of certain bridges or overpasses must be addressed by any ship entering the port and as different commercial trades are developed, new equipment is put into place to solve these problems.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
DOT, Metro-North move ahead with Walk Bridge agreements
NORWALK, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut's Department of Transportation and Metro-North Railroad are moving ahead with agreements to eventually replace the 120-year-old swing bridge over the Norwalk River.
DOT and Metro-North recently signed a "partnering letter," agreeing to their shared goals for the project. The letter also spells out schedules of meetings to ensure open communication.
Construction of the new Walk Bridge is not expected to begin until mid-2018. Three advance construction projects must be completed before the aging railroad bridge can be replaced.
The bridge carries four tracks across the river and is considered a key link on the New Haven Line. It carries more than 165 commuter and freight trains daily.
Metro-North is one of the nation's largest commuter railroad systems. It connects New York City, its northern suburbs and Connecticut.
That’s why conservationists are concerned that the utility company is covering some of them, including one in Washington Depot, with deep, gravel roads. An Eversource spokesman said the practice provides a safer passage for trucks and workers. Conservationists say doing so destroys the environment and threatens the species in it.
“Power lines collectively provide really essential habitat for a wide variety of rare plants, butterflies, moths, birds, the New England cottontail rabbit, just a whole litany of wildlife and plants,” said Patrick Comins, director of bird conservation for Audubon Connecticut. “What’s happening is they’re putting gravel paths and roads underneath the power lines, sometimes impacting 25 percent of the habitat underneath those power lines,” Comins said. “It is definitely a concern.” Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot acknowledged the company is covering certain of its 1,600 miles of Connecticut transmission line corridors with gravel to accommodate heavy equipment needed to replace some of towers as a preventive maintenance measure. It isn’t prudent, he said, to wait until there is a power outage to replacing aging equipment. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Metro-North plans to connect Penn Station and Grand Central
NEW HAVEN — Metro-North riders could be within six years of choosing to commute to Penn Station or Grand Central Terminal, a prospect that the railroad says will expand capacity and convenience.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority plans $10 billion of construction to connect the country's two busiest commuter rail lines to both Manhattan stations.
The work will be done primarily in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, but stands to have a big impact on Connecticut commuters. If all goes according to plan, it would let New Haven line riders with jobs on the West Side choose a Penn-bound Metro-North train, sparing the need for a daily cross-town walk or subway, bus or cab trip.
New York state officials last week endorsed the project as part of the MTA's overall long-term capital plan, which MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast praised as showing that "public transport is the backbone and lifeline of the region's economy."
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal agreed the decision to go ahead with the East Side Access project could help Connecticut commuters, but stressed that it must be done in conjunction with the MTA's second major commuter train operation, the Long Island Rail Road
"This is good news, but only if it's done right," said Blumenthal, who plans to talk with Prendergast this week. "Routing Metro-North into Penn Station would be welcome, but it has to be part of routing the LIRR into Grand Central."
Currently, Metro-North can use only Grand Central, while the Long Island Rail Road can reach only Penn. That puts tens of thousands of commuters in the wrong part of the city every day, leaving them to either walk or take cabs, subways or buses to reach their jobs. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Haven development plan eyes demolition of former Gateway Community College building
NEW HAVEN >> The state is looking to a private-public partnership to bring in a developer to the city’s Long Wharf area, who in turn would help underwrite an academic program for Southern Connecticut State University.
The site in question is the highly visible former home of Gateway Community College at 60 Sargent Drive, just off Interstate 95. The property was turned over to Southern after Gateway, in 2012, moved into its new $198 million two-block-long home at the entrance to downtown on Church Street.
Mark Rozewski, executive vice president for finance and administration at Southern, said they have a number of options to consider, but the one factor they have agreed on is that the 1971 building formerly used by Gateway should be demolished.
Home to Gateway for more than 30 years, it was long inadequate for the community college’s needs. A consultant study determined it is in poor condition and the real value is the 6-acre property on which it sits. That land is next to Jordan’s Furniture at one end of the block with IKEA at the other end, both of which generate considerable commercial traffic.
Generally, Rozewski said the plan is to lease the site to a developer who would then raze the building and construct one or more new structures. Part of the new development would serve a commercial use, while a portion could support a program for Southern, accommodating such uses as its outreach activities or an academic program, most likely in the graduate school. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Studies come & go; Waterbury magnet school problems go on
WATERBURY — District school officials are uncertain of a lot of things when it comes to walls that are repeatedly cracking and floors that are sloping at the relatively new Waterbury Arts Magnet School. They don't know when the problems were first noted or what remedies have been attempted. Until somebody noticed a plaque at the entrance of the school, they were uncertain what company oversaw construction.
Officials have turned up a 2009 report by BL Companies of Meriden outlining three possible remedies to the settling and cracking issue. It's not know if any were tried. A 2007 report in the Republican-American quoted officials as promising to investigate wall cracks and a floor depression in what was then a 4-year-old school. Then, as now, officials say the issues are cosmetic and no threat to safety or student learning. The 2009 report identifies the suspected culprit as settling of soil beneath concrete slabs supporting the school's foyer and a row of nursing and administrative offices. This soil was backfilled during construction, BL reported. BL did not take samples or dig to diagnose the issue or its cure. At the time the foyer doors would not close tight, prompting a safety and security concern. Today, the doors seal, and it's not known what remedy was applied. In 2009, BL suggested a new support beam underneath the entryway slab, tied into the school's main foundation.
BL suggested two remedies for the administrative wing. One would involve major demolition and reconstruction to install underground beams tied to the foundation.
The second would involve boring holes in a grid pattern underneath the slab, then filling them with grout to support the slab. the problem with that suggestion is results would depend on the type of soil underneath the slab. BL advised against the second option.
No estimate of costs accompanied the study shared with the Board of Education last week.
Now, the Board of Education is requesting $150,000 for another study to investigate the problem and suggest remedies. This one would involve digging samples underneath the concrete slab.CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE