Norwich ― The state Department of Transportation will hold an online-only public information forum Tuesday on a $7.5 million plan to replace the Lawler Lane bridge over Interstate 395 starting in 2024.

Members of the public can attend the meeting either on Zoom, through the DOT’s YouTube channel or by telephone. Anyone who wishes to participate in the meeting must register in advance. A question-and-answer session will be held following DOT officials’ presentation on the project.

The 165-foot-long bridge was built in 1958 and rehabilitated in 1992 and 2017. DOT inspectors deemed the bridge deck and superstructure to be in poor condition, with cracks and extensive rust. A recent inspection by the DOT Bridge Safety and Evaluation Unit showed a large area of concrete deterioration, prompting the agency to recommend replacing the bridge instead of rehabilitating the structure, DOT officials said in a posted notice on Tuesday’s meeting.

The project is expected to take one construction season and will be funded with state dollars.

To register for the Zoom session, go to the project page on the DOT website at https://portal.ct.gov/dot/projects/0103-0277-norwich. The meeting will be livestreamed on the DOT YouTube channel, and the recording of the meeting will be available on that channel following the meeting. To join the meeting by phone, call (877) 853-5257.

The public comment period on the project will be open until Dec. 27. Send comments to DOTProject103-277@ct.gov or by voicemail to (860) 594-2020. Contact Project Manager Jonathan Kempf at (860) 594-3308 or by email to Jonathan.Kempf@ct.gov.

c.bessette@theday.com