Jessica Bravo
WESTPORT — Construction on the northbound side of the Interstate 95 bridge over Saugatuck Avenue at Exit 17 was completed 14 hours ahead of schedule, according to an official.
As of 3 p.m., northbound traffic that had been being funneled through southbound lanes had switched back over to the proper side of the road. Then, by 4:30 p.m., officials said the all northbound lanes had been reopened.
"We are officially open to traffic both on the northbound and southbound sides," Josh Morgan, the Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesperson, said. "The project completed 14 hours ahead of schedule!"
Morgan said the DOT opened one lane over the new bridge to vehicular traffic on the northbound side earlier in the afternoon. He said it then took several hours to remove the concrete barriers as well as cones and barrels to re-establish the final traffic pattern of three lanes is both directions.
"All said, despite the challenging weather to start the weekend, the project was successfully completed," he said. "We’ll be doing another lateral bridge slide in two weeks on the southbound side."
Morgan had said earlier on Sunday that the project could even be finished ahead of the 6 a.m. Monday deadline.
"We're ahead of schedule and we're optimistic we'll have the bridge open sometime later today [or] tonight," Morgan said. "Well in advance of 6 a.m. tomorrow."
Morgan said construction workers would start the reopening process around noon Sunday, since the bridge had been paved overnight. He said the opening process entails removing cones and restriping the road, among other things.
Rain on Friday and Saturday and some windy conditions Sunday seemed to have no effect on getting the project completed on time, Morgan said.
Traffic issues associated with the project were expected over the course of the weekend as northbound traffic during the replacement was being moved into the southbound lanes, severely restricting traffic flow, officials said. By mid-afternon Sunday, traffic congestion was apparent along the stretch of I-95, as well as on the Merritt Parkway and along the advised detour routes, according to data from CTroads.org.
Crews on Saturday moved the new bridge section in place, Morgan said following that work, adding that crews would then be securing it and working to clear any material left over during the construction work. Then inspections and paving will be done before the bridge can reopen.
Friday night, crews had demolished the highway's northbound bridge to make way for the replacement. They used a hydraulic jack and rollers system to move the span about three feet every hour and fit it in its proper place.
"It's obviously a heavy piece of infrastructure," Morgan said Saturday morning.
Per the "ABC" — accelerated bridge construction — method, the replacement portions of the bridge already had been prepared parallel to the existing portions and then are slid into place after the existing portions are demolished.
In two weeks, the southbound side of the bridge will receive a similar treatment: The southbound lanes will be closed for demolition and bridge replacement, and southbound traffic will be funneled into the northbound lanes.
The Exit 17 ramp is scheduled to remain closed on the northbound side through Oct. 31.
If possible, officials had said drivers should avoid the area due to expected congestion all weekend.
Morgan previously said commercial drivers, which are barred from driving on the Merritt Parkway, should take Interstate 84 if possible once they enter Connecticut from New York.
Non-commercial motorists will be able to use the Merritt. The DOT will not have any planned construction on the parkway this weekend — "we're pausing all non-emergency work on all highways in Connecticut," Morgan said prior to the beginning of the weekend work.
A detour is in place for Saugatuck Avenue.
Norwich police station, road and bridge improvements on Nov. 7 referendum ballot
Claire Bessette
Norwich ―Voters will be asked to decide on two major spending items in referendums on the Nov. 7 election ballot: whether to build a new $44.75 million new police station and spend an additional $6 million to continue a citywide road improvement plan.
Police and city leaders have advocated for a new police station for more than a decade, as the cramped and obsolete facilities at the 1979-80 station at 70 Thames St. became more problematic, especially due to the lack of accommodations for the growing number of female officers.
The City Council in September voted to ask voters on the referendum ballot if they would authorize bonding $44.75 million for a 50,000-square-foot police headquarters that would include a community room, training classrooms, an emergency operations center, main desk, dispatch center, areas for the public, prisoner processing, detention and transport, an armory, parking and electric vehicle charging stations.
While the ordinance does not name a site, the City Council voted unanimously Oct. 2 to purchase a nearly 30-acre vacant lot off Ox Hill Road behind the Rose City Senior Center for $385,000 as the site for the station.
On Oct. 16, the council voted to use $385,000 from the city’s federal American Rescue Plan Act grant to purchase the Ox Hill Road land.
The proposed police station would need about three acres, and city officials are considering the land closest to the senior center for future municipal purposes, including the police station. The rest of the land would be added to Mohegan Park, which borders the land.
The city plans to apply for state and federal grants to reduce the cost of borrowing to the local taxpayers.
Since the police station bond was placed on the Nov. 7 ballot, city leaders are restricted in what they can say about the project. State law prohibits any use of city funds, including staff time, to advocate approval or opposition to a referendum item.
The Rev. Charles Tyree, a member of the volunteer police chaplain corps, formed a political action committee to raise money and campaign for approval of the new police station. The group has raised more than $2,000 to pay for billboard advertisements, lawn signs and to offer to speak with residents about the current station’s shortcomings.
Voters in 2012 rejected a $33 million plan to convert the former Sears building downtown into a police station. Three years later, the city sought to lease a police headquarters facility from a private developer, avoiding a referendum. But city leaders rejected all bids from private developers for a leased police headquarters.
The second referendum question is a request to bond $6 million for road and bridge construction and related drainage work on streets throughout the city. Voters have approved similar road bonds five times since 2009, most recently for $5 million in 2019. The Public Works Department asked for $6 million this year due to the rising costs of paving materials.
CT completes $1.2B transportation bond sale; will fund major infrastructure projects
Greg Bordonaro
State Treasurer Erick Russell announced Friday the state has completed the sale of $1.2 billion in transportation funding bonds.
The majority of the bond funding, $875 million, will support a variety of transportation projects, including an initiative to combat wrong-way driving incidents; the rehabilitation, replacement or reconstruction of bridges and highway systems statewide; as well as investment in public transit systems, such as bus and rail facilities.
The sale also included $349 million to refinance previously issued special tax obligation bonds, which will result in $26 million in debt service savings, Russell said.
Earlier in the month, Kroll Bond Rating Agency upgraded the state’s special tax obligation bond credit rating from “AA+” to “AAA”, which is the highest rating possible, Russell said.
The upgrade reflects the State’s strong legal framework and public support for transportation funding and commitment to transportation investment, Kroll said.
“Investors continue to see opportunity in Connecticut and recognize our improved financial standing as a symbol of sustainable strength,” Russell said.