Good news for all who live and do business in Bristol: Route 72 to be fixed by Dec. 1. [Bristol Press]

By Steve Collins
Staff Writer, Bristol Press

BRISTOL — The state Department of Transportation plans to have at least temporary repairs done before winter on damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene to Route 72 west of Rockwell Park.

The section between Clark Avenue and the bridge at the intersection of Old Waterbury Road took a beating when the Pequabuck River overflowed during the Aug. 28 storm that did as much as $12 million worth of damage in Bristol.

The state hired Paganelli Construction Corporation of Windsor Locks to complete the emergency repairs with funding from the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief Program. The work, whose total cost is uncertain, is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 1.

Mayor Art Ward said he’s thrilled that efforts to fix the damage got underway so quickly.