CT's largest bridge is set for a $158 million facelift over next six years
While nobody is likely to confuse the Golden Gate Bridge for
the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in southeastern Connecticut. But the two bridges
are in the same category of bridges set to get a facelift thanks to hundreds of
millions of dollars in recently announced federal funds.
The bridges are two of four projects nationwide boosted by
the federal infrastructure law passed last year, along with the Brent Spence
Bridge in Kentucky and a series of four bridges in Chicago. The Connecticut
bridge is now set for a $158 million project that will extend until 2029.
To celebrate the funding, U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Pete Buttigieg visited New London on Wednesday to get an up close look at the
bridge that spans the Thames River.
Joined by newly-reinaugurated
Governor Ned Lamont and Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal,
local representatives and members of industry, the secretary touted the Biden
administration’s infrastructure spending.
“These four bridges were chosen partially because they were
not just iconic pieces of infrastructure but because they are essential to
America’s economic strength,” said Buttigieg. “We cannot have the kind of
economy we need without them.”
Gold Star Memorial Bridge is the largest bridge in the state
of Connecticut at 6,000 feet in length and 150 feet in height at the center
span. The bridge is actually a twin pair, one for northbound traffic and the
other for southbound traffic on I-95.
Collectively the bridges serve roughly 120,000 vehicle trips
a day and are a vital part of the transit infrastructure for the state and
region.
“These kinds of facilities are the cathedrals of our
infrastructure,” said Buttigieg. “Right here tens of thousands of people are
driving across the Gold Star Bridge every day to get to their jobs, to school,
to everything that matters in their lives.”
The northbound bridge’s construction started in 1941 as a
project to reroute car and truck traffic off of an old bridge that carried US
Route 1 over the river but was put on pause as the United States entered World
War II.
The thousands of tons of steel necessary to complete the
bridge were dear to the war effort. The northbound span was only completed
during the war because of its strategic
importance to shipping and naval industries.
“The men and women who use this bridge to go to work build
submarines,” said Blumenthal at the press conference. “That is what is at stake
with this bridge.”
In the nearly 80 years since its construction, the bridge
has been battered by storms, salty air and normal wear and tear. Inspectors
hired by the state of Connecticut have found numerous
instances of corrosion, cracks and fatigue in the steel truss structure.
The structure and deck are rated poor. The southbound bridge, built in the
early 1970s, underwent
repairs that were completed in 2019.
It’s bad enough that there is a 40-ton weight restriction on
the bridge, forcing trucks to take a nearly 20-mile detour to cross the Thames
River.
“Some of our trucks travel that specialize in New York and
New Jersey travel this bridge twice a day,” said Melanie Makjut, owner of
M&G Trucking and Transportation based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island who
spoke at the press conference. “My company needs this bridge to get all of the
products to our customers.”
Fixing the steel trusses is the first step in the project
and was already underway during Buttigieg’s visit. Local 15 Ironworker’s Union
workers from Hartford took a short break from their work to watch Secretary
Buttigieg speak.
“My union brothers and sisters are working on this bridge
pretty much as we speak,” said Ruby Acosta, a 3rd year apprentice
ironworker. “It’s awesome. We build America. We the ironworkers and the other
Connecticut building trades.”
Once the structural elements of the bridge are repaired, the
deck is slated for repairs and improvements to lighting, sign supports and
storm drainage. A multi-modal path is planned for the bridge as well. Outgoing
state Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti said that including the path
was key to obtaining the funding.
“You’re going to see it on all our future bridges as well,”
said Giulietti. “We realized the way of the future is going to involve those
bike and pedestrian lanes going across.”
Work is expected to finish on the bridge in 2029.
Commissioner Giulietti said that the federal funding shaved at minimum one year
of work off the project.
Buttigieg visits Gold Star Memorial Bridge
Erica Moser
New London ― U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete
Buttigieg, a 2020 candidate for president and former mayor of South Bend, Ind.,
visited the city Wednesday to highlight a recently announced $158 million federal grant for
repairs to the northbound span of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.
The work will involve structural repairs that increase how
much weight the bridge can bear as well as a new multi-use path for people to
bike or walk safely, Buttigieg said. The Connecticut Department of
Transportation is proposing either a new path on the northbound span or a
separate sidewalk widening project on the southbound bridge, according to a
fact sheet from the department.
The $158 million award is part of the Large Bridge Grants
program of the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program. The
BIP was established in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known
as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Joe Biden signed in
November 2021.
“There’s nothing political, there’s nothing partisan, about
making life easier for the companies and the workers and the commuters,” Sen.
Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Wednesday during a press conference under the
bridge.
Buttigieg noted the competitiveness of the Large Bridge
Grants program as 48 applicants requested a total of $11 billion in funding,
and the Gold Star Memorial Bridge was one of only four projects that were
successful.
Asked about funding accountability in a one-on-one interview
after the press conference, Buttigieg told The Day there are a lot of standards
and requirements with federal dollars. But he also said the fact the bridge won
an award of this scope “reflects a high level of confidence that the project
sponsors will be able to meet the requirements of the program.”
At the press conference held at Thames River Boat Launch on
State Pier Road, several people talked about the significance of the funding.
“My company needs this bridge to get all the products to our
customers so they can keep the economy moving forward,” said Melody Majkut of
Pawtucket, R.I.-based M&G Trucking. She added “investments like this in
infrastructure help to avoid interruptions in that valuable supply chain.”
Connecticut State Building and Construction Trades Council
President Keith Brothers said in addition to investing in infrastructure and
people like Majkut, the federal funding means investing in workers. He noted
that the bridge work is being done under a project labor agreement, with set
working conditions, safety standards and holidays.
“This is not a bridge to nowhere. Remember that phrase?”
said Gov. Ned Lamont, who came to New London from his inauguration and State of
the State address in Hartford. “This is a bridge to opportunity, as Keith
Brothers said.”
Also attending were representatives from Laborers’
International Union of North America (LiUNA), Teamsters, International Union of
Operating Engineers Local 478, and Ironworkers Local 15.
Project timeline, details and funding
The nearly 6,000-foot-long Gold Star Memorial Bridge, the
longest in the state, began construction in 2022 for the first phase of a
$407.7 million rehabilitation project. The anticipated project competition date
is November 2029, according to CTDOT.
Outgoing CTDOT Commissioner Joseph Giulietti noted there is
now a 17-mile detour for heavy trucks and vehicles, sending them through more
than 20 traffic lights, but the completion of this project will allow the
bridge to accommodate all legal and permit vehicles.
New London Mayor Michael Passero said Buttigieg’s “advocacy
for this bridge recognizes its strategic, economic importance, not just for
this region but for the Northeast, as it sits midway between New York and
Boston.”
Giulietti said this federal funding eliminates at least one
year of construction, and Buttigieg said without the work funded by the $158
million, projections show that down the road, there would be more load
restrictions impacting more vehicles.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Murphy credited Rep.
Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, for his work getting the grant, but Courtney was
in Washington, D.C. for the House session in which a new speaker was being
chosen.
Buttigieg and airlines
On another topic, Blumenthal thanked Buttigieg for providing
“the kind of strength and dedicated leadership that is necessary to hold the
airlines accountable.” But others have criticized Buttigieg’s handling of
airline complaints ahead of Southwest Airlines’ flight cancellation crisis at
the end of December.
A bipartisan group of 38 attorneys general wrote in an August letter to House and Senate leaders that US DOT
has “failed to respond and to provide appropriate recourse” in airline consumer
complaints, and that “both Republican and Democratic Presidents have failed to
spur the US DOT to act in a manner that responds effectively to consumer
complaints.”
They asked Congress to pass a law authorizing state
attorneys general to enforce consumer protection laws around the airline
industry.
Buttigieg told The Day, “I don’t think having 50 different
systems for regulating something national like aviation makes a lot of sense,
but I do actually think the attorneys general can play an important role.”
He said US DOT has done work over the summer on airline
accountability and got the top 10 airlines “to file a stepped-up consumer plan
with us.” He said the department will be “putting Southwest under a microscope
to make sure they’re following through on that” and will be following up on
thousands of complaints.
“I stand by our work as the strongest work that’s been
done,” Buttigieg said, adding that since the summer, US DOT initiated
enforcement actions against airlines that led to more than $60 million in
refunds to passengers.
The other three bridges
Biden administration officials this week are visiting the
other three bridges getting Large Bridge Grants. Biden on Wednesday went to the
Brent Spence Bridge, spanning the Ohio River between Ohio and Kentucky, with
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; Republican
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine; and Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Vice President Kamala Harris went to Chicago Wednesday to
highlight $144 million to rehabilitate four bridges over the Calumet River. On
Thursday, White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu and former
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are celebrating a grant for the Golden Gate Bridge
in San Francisco.
Buttigieg said in the press conference Wednesday, “These
four bridges were chosen not just because they’re iconic pieces of
infrastructure but because they’re essential to America’s strength.” He told
The Day that US DOT will announce funding for medium-sized bridges later this
winter.
Winsted referendum Saturday on $2.3 million more for water projects
WINSTED — Voters on Saturday will be asked to approve
borrowing $2.3 million to supplement a $6.2 million project that includes new
water mains and improved water storage tanks in town.
The projects
were first proposed in 2021 by the Water and Sewer Commission. Costs
to replace a water storage tank on Wallens Hill Road, and build a second tank
at Crystal Lake, have increased since the projects first were presented three
years ago.
The commission in March received approval from the Board of
Selectmen to borrow $6.2 million for the project, which includes replacement of
an aging water storage tank on Wallens Hill, construction of a second, smaller
storage tank at Crystal Lake and replacing 4,000 feet of water mains on streets
served by the water and sewer plant.
In November, Director of Public Works Jim Rollins presented
selectmen with an explanation of the cost increases and the need to borrow more
funds.
The $6.2 million, he said, was based on estimates the
commission developed more than three years ago. Since then, the cost for
materials has gone up, and the project costs have increased by more than 35
percent, for a total of $8.5 million.
"The first amount for the Wallens Hill tank was $2.2
million, but our most recent bids show it will cost $3.2 million," Rollins
said. "For the tank at Crystal Lake, the first amount was $2.5 million;
the most recent bids show $3.1 million. Those are based on increased costs
since the project was first developed (in 2018)."
The commission is borrowing the money from the state
Department of Public Health’s Drinking Water Revolving Fund to pay for the
project, which will be paid back over a 20-year schedule. To pay for the
improvements, customer rate increases will be phased in over the next five
years and will apply to a customer’s quarterly base rate, fixtures and a
grinder pump maintenance fee. The loans will be paid back using those
fees.
Mayor Todd Arcelaschi, during a Board of Selectmen meeting
this week, encouraged residents to vote on the project. Saturday's referendum
will be held from 8 a.m.to 8 p.m. at the Pearson School. All registered
voters are eligible to participate.
Waterbury seeking OK from aldermen for $30M bond to rehab Chase Building
LIVI STANFORD
WATERBURY – City administration is requesting approval from
the Board of Aldermen for a $30 million bond authorization to rehabilitate the
Chase Municipal Building, the former corporate headquarters of Chase Brass
& Copper Co.
Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said significant upgrades to the
building are sorely needed.
“It is old and falling apart,” he said, noting the city is
in a good position to borrow money because it has an AA bond rating and can get
a competitive interest rate.
O’Leary cited an antiquated boiler system, an obsolete HVAC
and electrical system, and rotting windows. He said there have been several
incidents over the years in which rotten windows have fallen onto parked cars,
damaging them.
“The conditions are that bad,” O’Leary said. “Obviously we have
taken steps for precautionary and safety reasons, but the conditions are
worsening over time.”
Cass Gilbert designed the Chase Building in 1919, according
to the Cass Gilbert Society. The design encompassed a three-story “symmetrical
structure faced in white stone,” the society stated. The building was the home
of Chase Brass & Copper until the 1960s. The building was then sold to the
city in 1966.
The Chase building now houses several city and education
offices, including the Board of Education, human resources, registrars of
voters and the fire department’s administrative offices.
Michael LeBlanc, the city’s director of finance, said there
has not been any major investment into the building since 1966.
Over the past year, city officials hired an outside
consultant to conduct both building and window condition assessments.
The project would include a comprehensive rehabilitation of
the building, including exterior window restoration and replacements;
electrical, plumbing and mechanical upgrades; handicapped accessibility
improvements, and code upgrades, city documents state.
The administration’s request includes a bond authorization
for the project, but LeBlanc said the actual bond to be issued would be
determined later. City officials hope to secure as much as they can from
grants, energy incentives and programs, including potentially historic tax
credits, to reduce the overall amount they will have to bond for the project,
he added.
Board of Aldermen President Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. agreed
the building needs to be brought up to modern standards.
On Monday, the board will vote on whether to approve
scheduling a Jan. 23 hearing for the project.
Inflation could sap infrastructure act’s buying power this year
Inflation could severely weaken the impact of funding from
the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, experts say.
High prices for construction materials and other project
inputs are already sapping
jurisdictions’ additional buying power from the federal legislation,
according to analysis from the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank.
In the past year, states have been seeing 20% to 40% hikes
in project costs, depending on the region and materials, Susan Howard, director
of policy and government relations at the American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials, told Pew. That’s leading transportation agencies
to scale back on the scope of projects or use it for work that was already
planned.
This environment is also challenging for contractors that
want to bid on infrastructure projects, according to American Society of Civil
Engineers Senior Vice President K.N. “Guna” Gunalan. In addition to higher
materials prices, builders are having trouble getting commitment from suppliers
for when equipment will be delivered, and shipping was logistically difficult
and also more expensive in the past year due to backlogs in the ports.
“It’s a question of how far can you stretch a dollar.
Everyone is trying to stretch it as far as they can,” said Gunalan. Staying
nimble and adopting a phased approach for projects can help, but it’s still
difficult to nail down costs for a project and “there are only so many
contingencies you can build into a budget.”
Dramatic escalations
These challenges to executing infrastructure projects look
set to continue this year.
Inflation will likely persist for a while since supply
chains have still not fully recovered from COVID-19, Michael Hardman, vice
president of Turner & Townsend, a U.K.-based global real estate and
infrastructure consultancy, told
Construction Dive.
“When looking ahead into 2023, we are forecasting escalation
year-on-year of 7%, with a return to the long-term average of 2.7% in 2024,”
said Hardman. “However, by 2024 we will have seen three years of dramatic price
escalation and if projects — and compounding effect — are true, we will see
material prices approximately 25% to 28% higher than they would have been by
equivalence in 2020.”
There are some positive signs: Prices
for many construction materials are starting to even off as supply
chains improve, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
So far, inflation is not high enough to completely consume all of the IIJA
money, and there may be further easing on the horizon.
Some damage has already been done in 2022, and experts
interviewed by Pew worry that continued inflation could eat away most of the
benefit from the funding in the coming years. Still, the extra federal money is
a help to jurisdictions.
“If we didn’t have these additional resources, states would
be in a much bigger world of hurt,” Howard told Pew.