A $2 million state grant for the engineering and construction of a Middletown connection to the Air Line State Park Trail in Portland has the potential to unlock another $8 million in federal dollars for the overall project. The State Bond Commission will be issuing the funds to the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments, of which Middletown, Portland and other Middlesex County municipalities are members. The Air Line, a former railway that takes its name from the imaginary line drawn from New York to Boston, according to the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, is a stone dust trail used by walkers and cyclists. The $10 million will allow the overall project to be realized, he said. “It’s much bigger than the trail, because once you complete this, what becomes possible is a 111-mile loop in the center of Connecticut.” It will create a “very significant recreational and transportational facility … that will connect neighborhoods to retail and workplaces, make walking and biking a viable option for people, and create more safe spaces to recreation with their families,” Gold said.

https://www.theday.com/state/20231011/2m-air-line-trail-grant-to-help-connect-middletown-portland-to-111-mile-loop/

Drivers may experience significant delays on Interstate 95 due to highway closures in the Norwalk and Westport area over the next month, as the Connecticut Department of Transportation conducts work as part of a major $103 million project. From Oct. 16 to Oct. 31, the northbound I-95 Exit 17 ramp will be closed, according to CTDOT. The southbound Exit 17 ramp will also face periodic closures of 15 minutes, CTDOT said. Throughout October, CTDOT will be removing rocks along I-95 in the area. As a result, there will be periodic highway closures through Friday, Oct. 27. The closures will affect both southbound and northbound traffic. All northbound traffic will be diverted to the southbound side of the highway during the construction work. The $103,411,848 contract for the project was awarded to Yonkers Contracting Co. Inc. on April 30, 2022, and is scheduled to be completed on Nov. 1, 2024.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/i-95-delays-norwalk-westport-ctdot-bridge-replace-18404086.php

Every day that the Central Middle School building project is delayed, it adds around $12,600 to the overall cost. Now, the building committee is planning to move the project forward just a bit by applying for municipal improvement status — an essential step for the project to get any more funding. The project is slated to be on the Planning and Zoning Commission’s Oct. 17 agenda, Turner said at the building committee’s recent meeting. The building committee planned to move forward with the project last month by asking town boards for an interim funding request of $42 million, but a new memorandum from the town’s legal department said that could not be done until the project got MI status. The committee passed both motions, but not without conversation primarily over the timeline of asking for interim funding and going to the state about cost reimbursement. Overall, the project is expected to cost around $112 million.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/education/article/greenwich-central-middle-school-building-costs-18416947.php

Route 44 has been an area in need of improvement for several years now, said Pramod Pandey, principal planner for the Capitol Region Council of Governments and the project manager for the study. With the Route 44 Corridor Study underway, conducted by CRCOG and the Town of Canton, a future version of a Route 44 that is more safe and accessible for all users of the road is now possible. Pandey estimates the stuy will cost around $180,000. He said it will take around 18 months from start to finish, so the group should have recommendations ready before next winter. But the construction and other work that follows is a different story, and that timeline will vary depending on this study’s findings.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/farmingtonvalley/article/canton-ct-route-44-safety-study-18417747.php

Leaders behind the $1 billion project to replace a 127-year-old railroad bridge say they’re trying to minimize noise and other impacts as construction on the Walk Bridge continues over the next six years. Norwalk business leaders and Walk Bridge project leaders met over coffee this week to discuss what the next several years will look like as the Walk Bridge Project construction picks up steam. The project broke ground in May to replace the four-track swing bridge over the Norwalk River that serves as a key link in the Northeast Corridor, the busiest rail corridor in the nation, according to the project’s website. While impacts on traffic have been minimal so far, project leaders said there will be lane closures and road closures down the line to improve the infrastructure of the railway. Lane and road closures are not expected until 2024 and 2025, said Jeff Bird from the Walk Bridge Project team.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/walk-bridge-norwalk-ct-local-impact-18419769.php

Massachusetts-based developer Winstanley Enterprises recently paid $4.6 million for an undeveloped 133.6-acre site in Enfield, with plans to build more than 600,000 square feet of industrial space. Winstanley Enterprises on Tuesday announced its purchase of 1697 King St., also known as “Metro Park North,” and plans to eventually move forward on previously obtained land-use approvals for the property. The property offers easy access to Interstate 91 and is minutes away from Bradley International Airport. Winstanley on Tuesday reaffirmed its confidence in the warehouse and distribution sector. The company said it will immediately market its newly acquired Enfield property to prospective tenants and expects to begin construction during the first half of 2024. Winstanley owns and operates more than 12.5 million square feet of commercial real estate.

Winstanley acquires 133.6-acre Enfield site for $4.6M, plans more than 600,000 sq. ft. of logistics space

The 18 dual-port, Level 2 devices will be introduced to several municipal addresses, from City Hall and parking lots to five school district buildings, said Carey Redd II, the city’s director of transportation and parking. Redd, who said he’s been working on the project for months, said at least half of the incoming stations will be active by the end of the year. The cost of the design and installation of the devices will be paid by the Shaws Cove-based contractor Resource Lighting & Energy, which in turn will recoup its costs by way of grant and rebate incentives offered by Eversource, Mayor Michael Passero said. In addition to the municipal sites, the chargers will also be placed outside all school buildings, school district Director of Facilities Miguel Gautier said.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20231010/new-london-plans-colossal-expansion-of-electic-vehicle-charging-station-stock/

It will cost “in excess of $100 million” over the next 15 years for the town to address infrastructure issues at three of Wilton’s public schools, according to outgoing First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice. A “Schools Needs Assessment Study and Report,” a consultant’s report that is due to be released next month, will show a projected cost of more than $100 million for infrastructure improvement work almost exclusively at Cider Mill, Middlebrook and Wilton High Schools, Vanderslice told the Board of Selectmen as she shared details of initial assessment. Vanderslice reminded the Board of Selectmen that after the renovation and reconfiguration of Miller-Driscoll School, and other big-cost items such as the soon-to-begin construction on the new police station, the next phase of the town’s infrastructure improvement centered on work at the remaining three schools.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/wilton-schools-100-million-repairs-vanderslice-18408360.php

Construction workers wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) daily, but protecting mental health alongside physical health is equally important. Sadly, construction workers have among the highest suicide rates by population. In the U.S. alone, men working in construction are four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. While the construction industry is one of enormous physical labor, including significant physical stress, mental health is being elevated on the job site – modern safety programs are approaching safety as a holistic issue, mind, body and spirit. Increasing communication and visibility around mental health issues can go a long way to reducing stigma and creating an inclusive environment. For leaders looking to address the issue of mental well-being, talking about it openly goes a long way. Including recurring mental health training and policies in safety meetings are one way to ensure mental health is at the forefront of the safety conversation.

https://www.constructiondive.com/spons/breaking-ground-on-mental-health-one-conversation-at-a-time/695230/

Electric Boat and the Metal Trades Council, a labor union representing more than 3,400 shipyard workers, announced that union members have ratified a new five-year contract that grants them significant increases in compensation and benefits, including a 21.4% hike in wages over the life of the deal. MTC members work in the skilled trades, and include welders, electricians, machinists, pipefitters, laborers, painters and transportation services and administrative support employees. “This is the largest wage package in more than 30 years and demonstrates the value we place on the skills and experience necessary to build the world’s finest submarines,” Kevin Graney, Electric Boat’s president, said in a statement released by EB, a division of General Dynamics. “This new agreement will help attract and retain new employees while providing for the current membership,” Peter Baker, president of the Metal Trades Council, said.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20231009/ebs-shipyard-workers-ratify-new-pact-providing-21-4-hike-in-wages-over-five-years/