State to cover cost of bridge work – Winsted [Waterbury Republican American]

Article as it appeared in the Waterbury Republican American

BY KURT MOFFETT REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

WINSTED — The Holabird Avenue bridge is finally going to get fixed.

State officials announced Friday the state will cover the entire estimated $3.7 million cost of reconstructing the bridge. Work is tentatively set to begin in the summer of 2015.

The announcement comes just a month after the State Bond Commission approved $2.4 million for the project. The town was expected to pay for the rest but because of the town’s financial difficulties, state lawmakers including Rep. Jay M. Case, R-Winsted; Sen. Clark J. Chapin, R-New Milford; and Rep. David A. Scribner, R-Brookfield, were able to persuade state transportation officials to cover the remaining costs.

The project has been delayed for at least 10 years because of inadequate funding. The town in recent months has approved a 3 mill supplemental tax and a $2 million loan just to pay its bills through the end of the fiscal year, as it attempts to recover from the alleged revelations that its former longtime finance director, Henry L. Centrella, stole millions of dollars from the town.

“This signifies government working together, across party lines and through bureaucracy, to get the job done for its citizens,” Case said in a statement. “Holabird Avenue is such an important roadway to this town, from public safety to education, and I cannot wait to see it fixed.”

Nearly 3,000 vehicles travel on the bridge daily, according to the state Department of Transportation. It is close to Northwest Connecticut Community College, one of the fire department’s four companies, the Whiting Mills artists studios, the American Mural Project and many homes.

Case began working with Scribner, the ranking member of the legislative transportation committee and transportation bonding subcommittee, last summer to get this project moving. Case, Scribner, DOT officials, Town Manager Dale L. Martin and the engineers designing the project visited the bridge in August.

The DOT says the bridge, built in 1955 over the Still River, is in poor condition, primarily because of the deck. The structure beneath is still in decent shape and not in danger of collapsing.

DOT Project Manager Scott A. Roberts said the other problem with the bridge is it’s too narrow, compared to the rest of the roadway. So part of the project will be to expand the width of the bridge from 22 feet to 34 feet to match the rest of the road.

At one point, the project included the reconstruction of all of Holabird Avenue. But with estimates now exceeding $6 million, that has become cost prohibitive.

Roberts said there will only be some minor cosmetic improvements up to the intersections of Whiting Street and Route 8.

The $3.7 million will be covered by a combination of state and federal funds, Roberts said. The town is still responsible for the minimal design costs and specifications. The town set aside $110,000 in 2012-13 for the design.

Roberts said the project will need permits from a number of local, state and federal regulatory agencies, which may hinder the 2015 construction target.