DOT Discusses Main Street Bridge Replacement

CHESTER - How long?

Representatives from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) and consulting engineers met with approximately 40 residents last week to talk about the planned replacement of the Main Street bridge and to solicit comments and questions. Most of the questions, they discovered, revolved around the time it will take to complete the project.

So far, the estimate is that the bridge will be closed to traffic from January to May 2015.

David Cutler, project manager with DOT's Office of Bridge Consultant Design Unit, opened the public information meeting by saying, "Our purpose tonight is to introduce this project to the town, to give you an idea of what we will be doing, and to solicit comments and questions before moving forward."

The design presented, he said, was "preliminary, not set in stone."

The bridge, which spans the Pattaconk Brook, is believed to be 90 years old. An inspection of the bridge several years ago by DOT found both its superstructure and substructure to be "structurally deficient." On a rating scale of zero to nine, the bridge's abutments were rated as four, or "poor," and the superstructure rated only a five. An estimated 3,605 vehicles travel over the short span each day.

The existing bridge span is approximately 22 feet long with a width of approximately 65 feet. It consists of two, 12-foot travel lanes and two, four-foot shoulders. The proposed structure span will be 32 feet long and the bridge width will have two, 12-foot travel lanes with minimum 10-foot shoulders. The roadway approaches on each side of the bridge will be reconstructed to match the new bridge.

At the present time, the project is scheduled to be advertised in June 2014, assuming all the required rights of way and environmental permits have been received. DOT's estimate of total construction cost is $2.5 million. This figure does not include the costs of relocating utilities, acquiring the needed rights of way, and engineering costs. In answer to a question, Cutler said the state expects to fund 100 percent of the project costs.

David Stahnke, project manager with consulting engineers Tran Systems, said the superstructure would a reinforced concrete deck supported by galvanized steel beams. The stone walls that presently serve as abutments will be maintained, however, they will be decorative because new supporting structures will be built.

There will be some "minimum improvement to the roadway and sidewalks. The town asked us to expand the sidewalks a bit in the area of the bridge to improve pedestrian flow," he said.

There will also be "some type of decorative rail." Present plans also include some minimum improvement to the Route 148 turn onto Main Street.

"The geometry will essentially remain the same," he said.

Based on meetings with merchants, town officials, and others through the past several years, the DOT representatives said they were aware of concerns about the length of time the bridge, which sits in the center of the downtown business district. Stahnke said the bridge would be closed to traffic from January to May. The contractor will be expected to do a lot of "preconstruction work," including moving utilities and bringing equipment and materials on site.

The detour under consideration will route vehicles from Route 148 to Straits Road to Prospect Street to Maple Street to Main Street.

In answer in repeated questions about the timing of the construction, the DOT representatives said the present five-month estimate is "a very conservative timeframe" and they believe it will be shorter.

First Selectman Ed Meehan said he believed starting a construction project in New England in January "presents a lot of unknowns" that, in turn, affect construction time. He asked if the contract would include penalties or incentives if time goals are not met.

"So much of this project depends on execution. It will require extensive project management to stay on schedule. When you close the bridge to traffic, the contractor better be prepared to hit the ground running," Meehan said. "This contractor has to be managed, either with incentives or penalties, I believe."

Bruce Watrous, a former selectman, told the state representatives that the town's experience with the rebuilding of the Route 154 bridge two years ago was frustrating. That project ran considerably over the estimated construction time.

"It makes us wonder if we can have faith in what you are telling us. Please remember when you are closing down an entrance to a town what it does to our businesses and our residents and our town," he said. "Please keep that in mind."