Fourth I-91 bridge added to Wallingford replacement project
Cassandra Day
WALLINGFORD — The state’s transportation agency recently added a fourth bridge to the list of structures to be replaced on Interstate 91 in Wallingford.
The scope of the project, administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, encompasses bridges that carry the highway over East Center Street, Durham Road and New Rock Hill road, and now, Carpenter Lane.
Construction is projected to start in spring 2028 and be completed by the end of 2030, according to the DOT. The estimated cost is between $60 million and $90 million. It is expected to receive 80% of that cost in federal funds and 20% in state funds.
The DOT held an informational meeting in September 2025 to discuss the first three bridges, and another in late June for the fourth one.
Beth LaPlante, the task lead and senior project engineer at the HNTB design consultant firm, said during the June 24 session at Town Hall that the Carpenter Lane bridge is at the northern limits of the project area. The work will address "structural deficiencies" to achieve a design life of at least 75 years, she continued.
“Bundling” the bridge projects make sense, LaPlante explained.
“The four bridges were initially built together in the 1960s when I-91 was built," she said. "The bridge is in close proximity to the project area and the bridge meets the criteria for the replacement rather than rehabilitation.”
By adding to the plan the 30-foot-wide Carpenter Lane bridge, which is in “fair to good condition overall,” she said, there will be fewer impacts on motorists. It will also achieve “cost savings and schedule efficiency.”
Due to its age, the structure is “showing normal wear and tear, and it's nearing the end of its design life,” LaPlante said. Also, several portions of the bridge are deteriorating due to water, salt and time, she added.
The bridge and roadway will expand by about two feet, with a 5-foot shoulder, she added. Work includes drainage and guide rail improvements, and realignment of the crosswalk near the intersection with Northrup Road.
Raymond Looney, deputy project environmental lead, said early environmental screenings showed the potential presence of endangered northern long-eared bats and tricolored bats -- which have been proposed as an endangered species -- as well as a "threatened" monarch butterfly species. However, he continued, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined the project is not likely to adversely affect them.
Most likely, LaPlante said, the Carpenter Lane bridge would be closed and a detour would be put in place, coordinated with the closure of New Road Kill Road or Durham Road.
Two members of the public had questions for the presenters.
Chris Schrock, whose home is one of 30 located between East Center and the new Rock Hill overpass, has lived there for nearly 30 years, he explained.
“I'm a total fan of making things better," Schrock said. "If you're going to spend all this money to replace bridges, the notion of putting sound panels or barriers, can that be introduced in some way? There was some effort many years ago to put up a sound barrier of some kind."
However, Schrock said, that hasn't occurred.
The project does not qualify for a noise study, LaPlante said, "as it's mostly on just the bridges and we're not doing any work on I-91.”
Resident Ranjit Bhave asked about the possibility of having sidewalks on the bridge as part of the town’s complete streets vision.
“The proposed width is only two feet wider than the existing bridge,” he said.
Widening the bridge by two feet will allow pedestrians and cyclists to travel more safely on the road, LaPlante said. However, a traffic count study conducted earlier this year found few pedestrians traversed the bridge.
For more information on the project, visit portal.ct.gov/dot.
EB gives more detail on plans for former Crystal Mall
Jack Lawkowsky
Waterford — Electric Boat said Thursday that it expects to open its training centers in the former Crystal Mall by September and reach “significant employee occupancy” by mid-2027.
The company also said renovations of anchor stores will begin later this year.
It expects the various offices and training centers that will be in the main part of the building to be done in September. The move of support staff to the mall building will allow the main plant in Groton to focus on actual construction of submarines.
“We are working closely with the State of Connecticut and the Town of Waterford on permitting and approvals,” the company said.
The company is awaiting state traffic approval tied to its renovation project and is seeking town approval to approve conversions of the old anchor stores into the training centers.
Waterford officials meet with Electric Boat representatives weekly, town Planning Director Mark Wujtewicz has said.
EB purchased the mall property last year after pressure from the U.S. Navy to deliver submarines. The mall closed its doors in March after four decades as a well-known shopping hub. Like most malls, it struggled to adapt as shoppers shifted to online buying.
Wujtewicz said in May that Electric Boat was seeking approval for “selective demolition” and conversions of two former retailers. The Sears space would be made into a permanent workforce training facility, while the shell of the Bed Bath & Beyond would be made into a temporary workforce training center.
When the transformation is complete, EB will occupy 542,000 square feet of space on 42 acres of land along Route 85. EB, which employs more than 24,000 workers in Groton, New London and North Kingstown, R.I., plans to move 4,000 to 5,000 current employees from Groton and new hires onto the property.
In addition to the professional and business offices proposed, EB will use the building to house 50 classrooms for training and workforce development.
Before the $25 million purchase of the mall proper, Waterford had envisioned a mixed-use residential and retail center. The company has invested a total of $42.4 million to acquire the entire property.