Construction on the $20 million Fairfield Avenue overpass spanning Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Conn., is taking shape, the Connecticut Post (CTPost) in Bridgeport reported Aug. 29.
The replacement project was needed as the result of severe damage to the old structure due to its being struck by an oil tanker truck last spring, which caused a fiery crash that led to the bridge's demolition.
By late August, crews had erected orange safety fencing to line the replacement structure's sides and paneled the bottom of its steel beams with wood planks, according to CTPost. The progress is a sign that traffic in the area may finally ease after the old I-95 bridge was destroyed May 2.
"Now that steel has been installed, we plan to reopen the [southbound I-95/U.S. Highway 7] on-ramp lane to its original configuration in early September to ease congestion," Samaia Hernandez, a spokesperson of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), said in a statement, noting that the state agency intends aims to have the overpass ready for all traffic in the spring of 2025.
In addition, she said CTDOT crews "are installing utilities, which is driving the schedule for the reopening."
As work has moved steadily since the fire, CTDOT's goal is to pour the bridge's deck in October, Hernandez noted.
The old overpass was demolished, and debris was cleared within 80 hours of the accident that occurred when a Standard Oil tanker had swerved to avoid colliding with a sedan that cut off a tractor-trailer on I-95 southbound. In doing so, the back of the tanker was ripped open, spilling gasoline, and causing the fire.
Regional traffic along the I-95 corridor was hamstrung by the fire and the subsequent demolition, CTPost reported. Additionally, dozens of Norwalk residents lost their landline service following the removal of copper wires during the demolition.
But CTDOT engineers immediately swung into action to work around the clock to design a new replacement bridge, so that by June 1, it had blueprints completed that met all state and federal standards.
The new overpass will have sidewalks on both sides, and a reduction in the width of the vehicle travel lanes will allow for wider shoulders to better accommodate bicyclists, the agency noted earlier this summer.
Yonkers Contracting Co. Inc. in New York State was awarded the contract for the emergency replacement project, with several Connecticut subcontractors assisting in the rebuild.
In mid-June, Yonkers began removing the damaged center bridge pier between the northbound and southbound I-95 travel lanes and, soon after, began the process of repairing the concrete bridge abutments that will support the new overpass.
CTDOT's Priority Is On Alleviating Traffic Delays
Since the reconstruction project began after the accident and resulting fire, commuters and other drivers have faced head-splitting traffic and delays, CTPost reported.
The on-ramp from U.S. 7 in Norwalk to the southbound lanes of I-95 has been narrowed with concrete Jersey barriers. Alleviating the traffic backlog that stems from the on-ramp is "definitely a priority," Hernandez said in July, but closing highway lanes was necessary for crews to work safely on the bridge's reconstruction.
State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, told CTPost that the traffic jams resulting from the construction can be frustrating for drivers on the highway.
"Every time I go over a bridge, whether it's on East Avenue or Strawberry Hill, you just look over and you can see the traffic that is just backed up," Duff said in July. "It's not good for the environment. It's not good for people's time."
Balancing quick work and safety during the project is crucial, Duff added, citing the death of 26-year-old CTDOT worker Andrew DiDomenico on I-91 after a driver charged with driving under the influence struck him in June.
"This project is moving forward at incredible speed thanks to the hard work and dedication of the CTDOT and Yonkers crews who have remained in constant communication over the last several weeks," Garrett Eucalitto, the transportation agency's commissioner, said in a statement. "Thanks to continued strong collaboration, we remain optimistic of meeting our goals to have this bridge fully reopened next spring."
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