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Report: More than 300 bridges in CT ‘structurally deficient’
Ana Radelat
Washington – The nation’s bridges are deteriorating, but in Connecticut they are in better shape than they were four years ago, according to a report released Monday.
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s assessment of the condition of the nation’s bridges in 2018 found that of the 4,270 bridges in the state, 308 — or 7.2 percent — were classified as structurally deficient. This is down from 376 bridges classified as structurally deficient in 2014, the report said.
Nationally, however, the report said the pace of bridge repair slowed to its lowest point in five years in 2018. It also said that if America’s structurally deficient bridges were placed end-to-end, the result would span nearly 1,100 miles, the distance between Chicago and Houston.
The report was released in the midst of a debate in Connecticut over the imposition of tolls to help pay for an overhaul of the state’s aging, overused infrastructure. It ranks Connecticut 26th in the nation in the percentage of structurally deficient bridges, and 38th in the nation in the percentage of those bridges needing repair.
The report said the Connecticut bridge that’s in the worst condition is the Yankee Doodle Bridge in Norwalk, which was built in 1957. A bridge on I-95 over the Metro North tracks in New Haven was No.2 in the list of the most structurally deficient bridges in the state, followed by another bridge in New Haven on 1-91 over North Front Street and the Quinnipiac River.
A bridge is structurally deficient if the deck (riding surface), the superstructure (supports immediately beneath the driving surface) or the substructure (foundation and supporting posts and piers) are rated in a condition of 4 or less on a scale of 1-10.
That means the bridge is in need of repair, or replacement, but does not mean it’s unsafe.
Alison Premo Black, the ARTBA chief economist who conducted the analysis based on U.S. Department of Transportation data, said there were fewer structurally deficient bridges last year in Connecticut than there were in 2014 because the state is among those that have recently increased funding for bridge repairs, money that was available through a boost in federal spending on transportation.
“We do see some investment in bridges,” she said.Congress approved a transportation bill at the end of 2015 that has steadily increased the amount of transportation funding to the states. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act raised that funding by 5 percent in fiscal year 2016 and will increase it to more than 15 percent in 2020.
Ric Suzio, chairman of the legislative committee for the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, said the decrease in structurally deficient bridges in the state could be attributed to increased federal transportation funding — and a greater effort by the Connecticut Department of Transportation to repair and replace some of the state’s smaller bridges.
But Suzio said there are still many large bridges in the state, and some smaller ones, too, that need repair.
“The numbers haven’t decreased dramatically,” he said. “But we’re moving in the right direction.”
The report on the nation’s bridges was released as Congress struggles to draft a major infrastructure bill, legislation President Donald Trump promised to press for when he campaigned for the White House.
The report also said that the average age of a structurally deficient bridge is 62 years, compared to 40 years for non-deficient bridges.
“Sadly, this report is no April Fool’s joke,” Black said. “At the current pace, it would take more than 80 years to replace or repair the nation’s structurally deficient bridges. That’s longer than the average life expectancy of a person living in the United States.
Pam McLoughlin
WEST HAVEN — The City Council may have found a way to get long-awaited answers on a timeline out of the developer of The Haven, a planned high-end shorefront outlet mall.
City Council Chairman Ronald Quagliani and others want to hear directly from the developer before the council votes to pave the way on the city’s request to abandon Water Street and parts of both Richards Place and Center Street.
Quagliani, who said he hopes a representative of The Haven will be at the next City Council meeting April 8 to answer questions; many in the city want a more definitive timeline. The abandonment matter was put off at a council meeting last week when a representative for The Haven changed a plan to be there.
Meanwhile, state Rep. Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven, also is urging the city and council officials to hold off on abandoning Water Street — a major access road in and out of West Haven — until there are some answers on a timeline for development once The Haven project gets state Department of Transportation approval.
“All I am asking is the same question that 55,000 other residents are asking,” Borer said Monday in a telephone interview. “What is the timeline?”
Mayor Nancy R. Rossi said that since taking office in December 2017 her administration has done “everything possible to facilitate the Haven project and will continue in that respect until the project is complete.“I thank state Rep. Borer for the letter and understand the frustration of the residents,” Rossi said. “Most residents I have spoken with would like to have the Haven project begin as soon as possible and the road closures are another step in that process.”City Attorney Lee Tiernan, who defended the developer in an email answer to Borer and wrote, in part, that the site would be more secure if the roads were abandoned, emphasized that The Haven is waiting for DOT approval.He also said in the email to Borer that the developer is still waiting on the state Department of Economic and Community Development for $5 million in financial assistance after some language is worked out and for $1 million to be released back to the developer from a court related to the eminent domain process, if approved.
State and city lawmakers say they understand the developer is waiting on a certificate from the Office of State Traffic Administration — or OSTA — but want to know how soon after that certificate comes through the developer will start demolition.
Residents have questions about The Haven at just about every municipal meeting, many expressing doubt it will ever become reality in a city with such big financial struggles.
Perhaps no one gets more questions and complaints than 3rd District Councilman Aaron Charney, whose district would be home to The Haven.Charney said he agrees with the need for the closures to be based upon conditions, such as “which date the site will be secured, how it will be secured, if there will be continued security, how it will be accessed in case of emergency, and most importantly what day the project will start with the buildings being knocked down.”
“Residents have put up with a lot. We have put up with blighted conditions for years, a lack of communication, and recently two fires. Before we give another inch, we need answers,” Charney said.
Borer, in her email to Rossi and City Council members, requested any closing of Water Street be conditional and “contingent upon certain triggers such as a very specific documented and public timeline of next steps for the Haven Project.”
She wrote that residents in surrounding neighborhoods have been “extremely patient with the progress of this project.”
“While it is understood eventually Water Street will be closed, prematurely closing it will cause yet another burden to the residents of the 115th District as it will cause congestion on First Avenue and Elm Street,” Borer wrote.The developer of The Haven in recent months hired a security company to monitor the area of boarded-up houses. Although those parts of Center Street and Richards Place to be abandoned have not been done so officially, they are essentially closed to traffic with Jersey barriers.The street closure process for the project is required as part of the city development agreement with The Haven Group and it may make the project more secure, Rossi has said.
There are 57 properties within the 24-acre project area, which is bounded by Main Street, First Avenue and Elm Street. The project includes what is now Water Street, which will be eliminated as The Haven is built.
The site plan application for the 265,000 square feet of retail and restaurant development has approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission At one time, a representative of the developer said the target date for The Haven to open was June 2020.
Rossi has said she is “very excited” about The Haven project, and at the time of approval called it a “game changer.”The plans include 80 stores and five full-service restaurants. The Haven spent years in the acquisition stage as the developers negotiated with 57 property owners.
City officials and the developers have said The Haven would pay $2 million in annual property tax and create more than $15 million in incremental sales tax for the state, as well as 800 full-time and 400 part-time jobs, plus 800 construction jobs using all Connecticut-based contractors.
Tiernan also said in his email to Borer that the developer allows “our public safety entities to use the site for training.” Tiernan noted in the lengthy response the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Police Commissioners have approved the road abandonment at the Haven site. Tiernan took a swipe at former Mayor Ed O’Brien for announcing The Haven project prematurely “I don’t know why Mayor O’Brien chose to announce the project to the public in 2014, before all the necessary real estate was secured. I don’t know why that announcement indicated demolition would take place in March 2015, with an opening in the Fall of 2016.”O’Brien responded to the remark later Monday. “If Lee Tiernan did his homework or at least asked the question as to why The Haven Project was announced when it was, he would have known that the developers investing $200 million dollars in my hometown asked me to announce it at that time,” O’Brien wrote. “They were starting to talk to the State Department of Economic Development and wanted them to know it was a real project. They were also starting the acquisition process and did not want to keep the residents uniformed. Funny how the Rossi Administration talks about the importance of transparency but wonders why I did not keep the people that this project affects the most in the dark.”
Eversource begins work on controversial Greenwich substation
Ken Borsuk
GREENWICH — Work has begun in two locations in connection with a controversial new Eversource Energy substation in downtown Greenwich.
Site prep on the underground line portion of the project is underway, Eversource said Monday morning. The underground line will eventually connect the new substation on Railroad Avenue to the existing one in Cos Cob.
The work is the initial step of a construction project to install a new 115-kilovolt electric transmission line underground through 2 miles of local streets in Greenwich’s south side from the downtown to Cos Cob, according to Eversource.There has been significant pushback from the town against the project, with residents arguing that it is not needed. They also say it uses technology that is not as advanced as other possible solutions for generating power. Town government officials have also objected, citing aesthetic and environmental impact concerns, especially when it comes to the work planned for Bruce Park.
The town of Greenwich has filed a legal appeal against the Connecticut Siting Council for its decision in November 2017 to allow the substation to proceed. And while that appeal is still active, the town has been engaged in settlement talks with Eversource since last year.
“We have been working collaboratively with town officials for months and have made substantial progress in addressing the town’s concerns and are close to reaching a final agreement,” Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot said on Monday. “We have briefed the other parties, the state Siting Council and Consumer Council. and are confident that we will deliver a solution that would be acceptable to them and reliably serve the town’s energy needs.”
But First Selectman Peter Tesei said Monday that there were ongoing discussions.
“The Connecticut Siting Council has approved this project,” Tesei said. “The town and its appropriate authorities continue to work with Eversource to identify areas of concern and develop the appropriate precautions for Eversource to best address those issues, including environmental and traffic concerns.”
Last August, Tesei expressed hope that a settlement could be reached, saying at the time that he felt progress was being made. “I like what I’m seeing and what we’re receiving in terms of feedback to our requests,” Tesei said last year.
Town Director of Planning and Zoning Katie DeLuca could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.
The first part of the work will be in Bruce Park and at the site of the soon-to-be-new substation at 290 Railroad Ave., the former site of a Pet Pantry. Poirot said that building will be demolished to make way for the new substation to be built. The underground work and the substation construction is expected to take place concurrently, he said.Despite the lack of a settlement between the town and Eversource, the company said work can begin on the initial steps under the Siting Council’s approval.
“We are legally allowed to move forward on a portion of the project while we continue to collaborate with the town on the settlement agreement,” Poirot said.
Eversource has said that the new substation is a necessary part of its ongoing effort “to further strengthen the electric distribution system in Greenwich.” Throughout the process, Eversource has said that its electric infrastructure in Greenwich cannot handle the demand from customers.
“Breaking ground on this project is a significant step toward reinforcing the electric system in Greenwich to ensure our customers have reliable power during heat waves, severe cold snaps and other times of high energy use,” Eversource’s Vice President of Project Management Steve Sullivan said in a statement Monday. “More than 28,000 Greenwich customers rely on us to have energy for every moment of their lives and this upgrade project will allow us to meet their energy needs while being sensitive to neighborhood aesthetics.”
The work is expected to be complete by early 2020, Poirot said. The work will not interrupt electric service to local residential or business customers, and Eversource pledged to “work closely” with community leaders and property owners “where work is being done to mitigate any potential impacts.”
“We are committed to being a good neighbor and doing our work with respect for our residents and their properties,” Poirot said.
Cleanup begins on long-contaminated Bristol site near ESPN
SUSAN CORICA
BRISTOL - The city has begun remediation work on the PCB-contaminated brownfield property at 894 Middle St.
With a $1.3 million grant from the state Department of Economic and Community Development and the city contributing more than $300,000, “this project will enable us to clean up this valuable piece of land located just opposite ESPN’s campus,” said Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu.
“After 40-plus years, this funding allows us to put this property back on the tax rolls,” she said. “We’re grateful to DECD and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments for their support in the past and going forward with this important project.”
The 14.87-acre site has been dormant for close to three decades, after the Laviero metal reclamation operation closed in the late 1980s. The city foreclosed on the property in 2015.
The cleanup project includes the restoration of a swath of wetlands along the Southington border, which posed a challenge for engineers that caused significant delays.
“We’ve addressed the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s concerns about hibernating Eastern box turtles that may be on site,” said Dawn Leger, the city’s grants administrator.
“All staff have been educated about turtle habitats, and a wildlife biologist will be onsite during the excavations to ensure proper precautions are taken,” Ledger said. “That being said, we’re thrilled to finally have shovels in the ground.”
Bristol Development Authority Executive Director Justin Malley noted NVCOG as well as DECD supported the cleanup project from its inception.
“We had a great plan and a dedicated team, and we’ve worked tirelessly to get this project done,” he said. “This is a very important property for Bristol’s economic development, with its great location, size, and accessibility.”
Delivering on his "debt diet" pledge, Gov. Ned Lamont on Tuesday will chair his first state Bond Commission meeting with a thinner slate of state-financed projects up for consideration.
The governor's office said the agenda, which allocates tens of millions of dollars for highway infrastructure upgrades and $20 million in grants to support homeowners with crumbling foundations, represents a 65-plus percent decrease in bonded projects compared to amounts considered in first-quarter agendas over the last eight years under Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
Tuesday's meeting, beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, comes nearly two months after Lamont promised to reduce Connecticut's borrowing by 39 percent.
In December, the bond commission greenlit dozens of projects during Malloy's final meeting.
Lamont said the state needs to be more cautious about "nice to have" projects being proposed.
"These items represent critical economic development needs, statutory obligations, honoring our commitment to municipal aid, projects that are eligible for matching federal funds, and transportation projects that need to be funded in order to maintain a state of good repair," Lamont said in a statement.
According to the agenda, the 10-member commission will consider a variety of projects, with many of them being ongoing commitments for municipal aid.
They include: $48.9 million to supplement federal highway funds, replace state roads and for state bridge improvement and replacement projects; $21.8 million for local bridge program grants; and $69 million to improve over 220 miles of state roadways and for transportation infrastructure repairs.
Other requests include:
$30 million for the second year of town aid road grants.
$2.6 million for reimbursement grants to Hartford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Newtown, Norwalk, Old Saybrook and Putnam for police-worn body cameras.
$1.4 million for structural repairs to the state Department of Corrections' New Haven parking garage on Whalley Avenue.
Another request calls for the quasi-public Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to provide a construction bridge loan of $3.5 million to the developer of Hartford's incoming Parkville Market. The project's developer, Carlos Mouta, will then repay the loan back to the state after the facility is "operational and generating revenue," the governor's office said.