A delay in permitting has pushed some of the construction work at the State Pier in New London into late this year, but the Connecticut Port Authority (CPA) said recently that the project remains on its projected $235 million budget.

The CPA's board of commissioners met Dec. 21, five days after receiving a key federal permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that authorizes in-water work. Projects like dredging deeper berths, installation of bulkheads and filling in the 7.4 acres of water between the two piers are now allowed to move forward.

The bulk of the dredging, which is a crucial part of the planned upgrades to accommodate ships carrying massive offshore wind turbines, will not happen until late this year. Part of the reason for the delay is that the permit that allows work in the Thames River prohibits any in-water construction work between Feb. 1 and May 31 to protect fish habitats.

The Day, New London's news source, reported that some limited dredging work between the two piers is expected to start this month. Marlin Peterson, a project coordinator of AECOM, the CPA's construction administrator and a multi-national engineering firm, said the dredging is a precursor to depositing the material between the two piers.

Design for the modernized State Pier calls for one large Central Wharf area spanning the existing pier and the older Central Vermont Railroad Pier. The construction is funded by the state and offshore wind partners Ørsted and Eversource, and State Pier will be used as a staging area for offshore wind projects.

Marlin told the Day that the total estimated costs for the construction is $171.7 million, with an additional $32.1 million for the final dredging.

The total remains under the $204 million "Targeted Guaranteed Maximum Price" for the project set by construction manager Kiewit last April. That figure includes $193 million for construction and $11 million for contingency. There is an additional $31 million for project soft costs that include construction administrator fees, design, permitting, environmental mitigation and a railroad property lease.

CPA Board Chairman David Kooris indicated that work is being done to finalize the timeline for the project. The "substantial completion date" is currently listed as Jan. 31, 2023.

While construction costs remain on track, he told the New London newspaper that there may be cost implications of having workers on the project for longer than anticipated.

"We remain diligent and confident in our ability to deliver the project in a timely and cost-effective way," Kooris said.

Critics continue to question the State Pier improvements' projected costs, which have risen from initial estimates of $93 million.

The port authority has a memorandum of understanding in place with both the state Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and CT's Office of Policy and Management for administration and support services related to construction and procurement activities on the pier upgrades.

Noel Petra, deputy commissioner of DAS, is taking the lead on state oversight of the State Pier project.

In a statement, Petra explained that efforts are under way to finalize the completion schedule.

"We look forward to embarking on the final phases of construction on one of the most significant infrastructure projects under way in New England," he said.

The CT Port Authority provides updates on the State Pier project on its website, www.statepiernewlondon.com.

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