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Public meeting set for $87M Connecticut River railroad bridge project
MIDDLETOWN — The state’s planned rehabilitation of the railroad bridge over the Connecticut River spanning Middletown and Portland will be the subject of a hybrid public information session set for next month. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at Middletown High School, 200 La Rosa Lane. The session will explain the project, gather feedback and answer questions, according to the state Department of Transportation. “This rehabilitation will increase the bridge’s load capacity, and modernize its mechanical and electric systems to provide reliable operation,” the DOT said in the meeting announcement. The estimated cost is $87 million, funded by state and federal funds, the agency said. Public feedback is encouraged, and may be incorporated into the design, DOT Project Manager Nicholas Martin said in a press release. Right-of-way impacts are not anticipated, the agency said. Construction is expected to start in fall 2028, depending on funding and permits.
Why so much road work is done at night in CT and what drivers should know
When traveling on Connecticut’s highways at night, some drivers may think their path will surely be clear because rush hour has come and gone. But then they see signs, cones and taillights. It’s a nighttime work zone. Construction season is well underway, and the recent activation of speed cameras in highway work zones has focused attention on safety in those areas where crews are building, repairing or cleaning. Here is what drivers may want to know as they navigate work zones at night this summer. Eva Zymaris, a spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation, said all of the agency’s construction contracts include what are known as “limitations of operations,” which lay out when work and what kind of lane closures can occur. Among the factors DOT considers when setting those limitations is traffic volumes because it wants to” minimize impact to the traveling public – while ensuring crews can work safely and efficiently,” she said.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/ct-night-road-work-highway-construction-22335872.php
CT hasn’t built a major new bridge since 1967, despite buzz around the Long Island Sound. Here’s why
A proposed bridge from Connecticut to New York across the Long Island Sound would be the state’s first major new crossing, connecting two places for the first time, since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. That bridge is not likely to be built, according to Gov. Ned Lamont, who said last year that “they’ve been talking about that ever since I was a kid in Long Island.” Transit development experts say new bridges — not replacement bridges — are not being built because that’s not the sort of development Connecticut needs. Instead smaller bridges focused on pedestrians or cyclists are usually taking priority. “The big regional scale investments are set,” said David Kooris, executive director at the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority. “Now we’re kind of looking back inward at the fine grain connections that stitch together our communities.” Connecticut’s last major new crossing was the Mohegan-Pequot Bridge, constructed in 1967, carrying Route 2A over the Thames River, according to Eva Zymaris, a spokesperson for the Connecticut Department of Transportation. She also mentioned the Frog Bridge, opened in 2000, which carries state road 661 over the Willimantic River.
EB gives more detail on plans for former Crystal Mall
Waterford — Electric Boat said Thursday that it expects to open its training centers in the former Crystal Mall by September and reach “significant employee occupancy” by mid-2027. The company also said renovations of anchor stores will begin later this year. It expects the various offices and training centers that will be in the main part of the building to be done in September. The move of support staff to the mall building will allow the main plant in Groton to focus on actual construction of submarines. “We are working closely with the State of Connecticut and the Town of Waterford on permitting and approvals,” the company said. The company is awaiting state traffic approval tied to its renovation project and is seeking town approval to approve conversions of the old anchor stores into the training centers. Waterford officials meet with Electric Boat representatives weekly, town Planning Director Mark Wujtewicz has said.
https://theday.com/news/907083/eb-gives-more-detail-on-plans-for-former-crystal-mall/
Fourth I-91 bridge added to Wallingford replacement project
WALLINGFORD — The state’s transportation agency recently added a fourth bridge to the list of structures to be replaced on Interstate 91 in Wallingford. The scope of the project, administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, encompasses bridges that carry the highway over East Center Street, Durham Road and New Rock Hill road, and now, Carpenter Lane. Construction is projected to start in spring 2028 and be completed by the end of 2030, according to the DOT. The estimated cost is between $60 million and $90 million. It is expected to receive 80% of that cost in federal funds and 20% in state funds. The DOT held an informational meeting in September 2025 to discuss the first three bridges, and another in late June for the fourth one. Beth LaPlante, the task lead and senior project engineer at the HNTB design consultant firm, said during the June 24 session at Town Hall that the Carpenter Lane bridge is at the northern limits of the project area. The work will address “structural deficiencies” to achieve a design life of at least 75 years, she continued.
Explosions planned at Bridgeport’s Remington Woods. Here’s why.
BRIDGEPORT — If you live near or happen to be passing by the former Remington Woods ammunition testing grounds this month and mild explosions again ring out, do not be alarmed — it is supposed to be the sound of progress. Mayor Joe Ganim’s administration has warned residents of possible “open destruction of munitions and explosives of concern” within the fenced-in 400-plus-acre urban forest, between July 6 and July 31. “The Bridgeport fire, police and health departments have been made aware of these plans and encourage all residents living near … to remain calm during periods of loud noises in the area,” concludes the announcement issued last week. But why exactly is it happening? Owner Sporting Goods Properties is making certain there are no dangerous remnants from the site’s old days as a playground for the military industrial complex as efforts proceed to transform the long-dormant property and its Lake Success into a clean energy park with a public nature preserve.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/bridgeport-ct-remington-woods-explosions-22330598.php
Waterbury plans to remove Risdon Dam to spur redevelopment of former factory site
WATERBURY — The city plans to remove a dam that officials said should benefit the redevelopment of a South Main Street property. Waterbury was awarded a $339,000 grant from the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to support the project. Jim Nardozzi, the executive director of the Waterbury Development Corporation, said the removal of the Risdon Dam “will contribute to the economic redevelopment of the property” at 2100 South Main St., which is the former site of Risdon Manufacturing. “(Waterbury Development Corporation) supports the removal of the dam and thus were happy to learn of the recent grant award for the study and planning of the dam’s eventual removal,” Nardozzi said. The city said the funding will be used for the “environmental investigation, engineering design and permitting” needed to remove the dam. That process could take a year to unfold before the city contracts a construction company to remove the dam. “This grant represents another important investment in Waterbury’s infrastructure and environmental stewardship,” Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski Jr. said in a statement. “Removing the Risdon Dam will improve the health of Hopeville Pond Brook, reduce flood risks, and help restore a more resilient ecosystem for future generations. We appreciate DEEP’s partnership and support in helping us move this important project forward.”
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/waterbury/article/waterbury-ct-risdon-dam-removal-22334296.php
Crystal Mall conversion has new timetable for Electric Boat workers arrival
The conversion of the former Crystal Mall in Waterford into a satellite corporate campus for General Dynamics Electric Boat is underway and company officials say that some workers could begin moving into the former retail center as soon as the end of September this year. Construction of some portions of the mall that will be used as training space is ongoing, according to a company spokesman. But Scott Ritter of Electric Boat said the conversion of the mall into office space is being done in phases, with the renovation of the former mall’s first empty anchor store space, which housed Macy’s, to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. It wasn’t clear on Thursday how many Electric Boat employees will be making the initial move into the renovated former mall space this September. The renovated mall space won’t be fully occupied until the middle of next year, when between 4,000 and 5,000 workers will begin working there. Electric Boat bought the mall in phases last year, completing the purchase in October 2025. The mall’s last tenants moved out this spring.
Ansonia says fuel cell projects—not a data center—are planned for former industrial site
ANSONIA — Social media erupted Wednesday with fears of a data center coming to a formerly contaminated industrial property on North Main Street. But city officials quickly quelled concerns, saying the former SHW Casting Co. site could soon be home to fuel cells from multiple companies. Mayor Frank Tyszka said the city is exploring the possibility of two fuel cell projects: one with Johnson Controls International, the other with HyAxiom, Inc. Both companies have been in talks with the city about leasing space at the former SHW Casting Co. site at 35 N. Main St. Tyszka said there are no lease agreements at this time as the city awaits Connecticut Siting Council approval on a Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions proposal to allow the two projects to proceed. “We are coordinating interconnection and permitting to get these projects underway as soon as possible,” Tyszka said in an email. A posted but then deleted Reddit post, which sparked more than 150 responses in the first hour, voiced concerns about data centers coming to Ansonia without mentioning a specific property location but implying the North Main Street site. City leaders in the past had floated the idea of data centers on the former SHW property, but that has not been a discussion point for the latest administration.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/ansonia-ct-shw-site-fuel-cells-22329248.php
Connecticut work zone speed camera fines start Monday. Here’s what drivers need to know.
The warning-only period for the state’s highway work zone speed camera program has come to an end. Starting Monday, if speed camera systems in some work zones across the state catch any vehicle traveling 10 or more mph over the posted speed limit, the registered owner will receive either a written warning or a $75 fine in the mail. “Our Know the Zone work zone speed camera program exists for one purpose: to save lives,” said DOT spokesperson Eva Zymaris. “The goal is not to issue fines and citations. In fact, our sincere hope is that no one receives a citation at all. By slowing down, moving over, ditching the distractions, and driving sober, we can prevent crashes and ensure safer roads for everyone.”
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