An extensive dam deconstruction project underway on the Norwalk River is meant to improve the health of the body of water and even help the so-called “vampire fish” return to the river. Its Mianus Chapter, which is based in Wilton — working in conjunction with Save the Sound, a New Haven-based nonprofit aiming to improve Long Island Sound’s water quality — has been trying to move forward the $2.7 million Dana Dam removal project for decades. Part of the construction project involves crafting how the river will meander, with some of the banks getting “armored” in order to keep the course from heading closer into manmade infrastructure, such as the nearby railroad branch line. The project, which has received the blessing of the town and several area environmental groups, required various state approvals, including that of the Department of Transportation.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/norwalk-river-dana-dam-deconstruction-wilton-18137513.php

As the state experiences an increase in highway crashes caused by wrong-way drivers, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has identified 236 “high-risk” highway ramps across the state that will receive advanced “wrong way” signs. The DOT expects about 50 signs to be installed in 2023, nine of which will be in Bridgeport, Norwalk and Westport. These 236 high-risk ramps, including the nine local ramps, often have the on- and off-ramps next to each other — which can make it easier for impaired drivers to merge onto the wrong ramp, he said. Wrong-way driving crashes in Connecticut tripled in 2022, according to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office. Last year, 13 wrong-way crashes resulted in 23 deaths, compared to four wrong-way fatal crashes in 2021 and two in 2020. In January, state Rep. Quentin “Q” Williams of Middletown was killed by a wrong-way driver after leaving Lamont’s inaugural ball, casting a spotlight on the issue.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/ct-dot-install-new-wrong-way-sign-drunk-driving-18156432.php

On an early spring evening nearly two decades ago, a similar scene unfolded on the same interstate in Bridgeport after a sedan struck a Mack tanker, igniting an explosion that halted traffic along one of the country’s most traveled highways. Though no one was seriously injured, the ensuing blaze burned through about 8,000 gallons of home heating oil and melted an elevated section of the roadway near Exit 26, forcing crews to redirect tens of thousands of vehicles through city streets. Traffic came to a standstill on I-95 in north Philadelphia on June 11 after a gasoline truck overturned beneath an overpass and caught fire, killing the driver and causing the northbound section of the bridge to collapse. In Bridgeport, contractors managed to install an erector set-like structure to replace the road’s damaged southbound lanes in just six days — a feat Appleby credited to close collaboration between city, state and federal officials. The U.S. Department of Transportation allocated more than $13 million for the repairs.

https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/bridgeport-ct-philly-bridge-collapse-i95-18153732.php?src=rdctpdensecp

Voters will be asked to approve the $5.3 million renovation of the Lymes’ Senior Center in a paper ballot vote next week. Old Lyme residents, as well as those who own more than $1,000 in taxable property in town, will be asked to authorize officials to spend up to $3.9 million on the renovation. About two dozen people turned out Monday at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium for Old Lyme’s special town meeting on whether or not to fund the project. They voted to send the question to a paper ballot vote June 20 at the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School gymnasium from noon to 8 p.m. Lymes’ Senior Center Building Committee Chairwoman Jeri Baker at the town meeting said she is hopeful the project will receive enough federal and state grants to cover roughly three-fourths of the total cost. She said she hopes the project can go to bid this summer so construction can begin in September. The center will be closed while the renovations take place and plans are being developed to offer senior services during this time. She estimated the project would be complete by Oct. 1, 2024, if all goes according to plan.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20230614/expanded-senior-center-project-on-its-way-to-old-lyme-voters/

Hartford’s planning commission on Tuesday approved a new garage with an elevated walkway to span Washington Street as part of expansion plans for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. The planned eight-story parking structure is key to Connecticut Children’s ongoing expansion, which includes a $326 million clinical tower now under construction. Engineers Fuss & O’Neill have designed an elevated walkway or skywalk would to connect the new tower with the garage’s second floor. Four buildings adjacent to the site will be relocated to make way for construction, and three other structures at 285 and 289 Washington and 5 Lincoln streets are set to be demolished. Carey Shea, co-chair of the Frog Hollow Neighborhood Revitalization Zone, said the hospital had worked with the nearby residents to ensure that concerns about the scope and impact of the project were addressed.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/connecticut-childrens-gets-ok-for-garage-skybridge-18151607.php

Back in May, Mayor Mike Walsh and MV Properties Principal Vincent DiCarlo pitched the project to the Town Council as a $10 million sports complex at McAuliffe Park on Remington Street. The proposal is a result of a non-binding public-private partnership with MV Properties, selected earlier this year through a town bidding process. Walsh said his philosophy is that the facility should be funded and owned by the town but developed with the help of a third party and operated under a long-term lease. Council Chairman Richard Kehoe said the group of elected officials doesn’t envision the project as a town government function. Town Council members have discussed a strong desire to make a youth sports facility accessible to residents, motivated by a lack of facilities in the area. Last week, Town Council members unanimously approved to allocate $150,000 of the impact funds for studies on the financial feasibility of a youth sports facility in East Hartford and on the town and school board’s programs for sports and physical activities.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/journalinquirer/article/east-hartford-sports-facility-18147513.php

Instead of hosting the media at his new Hamden headquarters, FullStack Modular President Roger Krulak chose another location for a big announcement in April — the Port of New Haven. There, he publicly revealed that he would be moving his company and more than 100 jobs from New York City to Connecticut. The company builds modular components for housing with an eye toward sustainability and efficiency, and requires dependable transport for both its raw materials and finished products. He added that the company had looked at ports up and down the East Coast and chose New Haven for its central location and responsive management. The news event’s location at Gateway Terminal reflects the growing importance of the Port of New Haven in the region’s economic outlook — and its impact on drawing new companies to the state.

As New Haven’s port grows, it’s drawing new companies to the region

A developer’s plan to build 500 units of housing, plus retail, restaurants, a grocery store and more at the former University of Connecticut campus, has caught the attention of town residents. West Hartford 1’s proposal to create Oakwood Park on the property that has been vacant since 2017 are still in the early stages, with plenty of town approvals needed to be gained before becoming a reality. Though the property’s marketing website does claim that over 44 percent of the property will be made available to the public use through its retail offerings and some open green space, some residents would like see even more opportunities for the public to make use of the property. The development stands to be the biggest West Hartford project since the creation of Blue Back Square, a similar property that received pushback at the time.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/westhartford/article/west-hartford-ct-uconn-campus-housing-development-18142766.php

Connecticut’s bridge inspection program, which monitors the condition of about 5,000 bridges statewide, won’t change after the collapse of a major highway in Philadelphia on Sunday, according to the CT Department of Transportation. The state is responsible for inspecting about 4,000 state-owned bridges across the state, along with another roughly 1,000 municipal bridges with spans longer than 20 feet. Over 3,000 municipally owned bridges and culverts fall outside the states’ inspection program, Morgan said. I-95 is a major artery for people and goods along the east coast, and the collapse could snarl travel plans for months. The accident may also hit pocketbooks. The I-95 corridor carries nearly 40% of the country’s gross domestic product, according to a 2010 estimate by the I-95 Corridor Coalition.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/ct-won-t-alter-bridge-inspection-philadelphia-18150651.php?src=sthppromostrip

The XL Center could get $20 million in private funding to put toward a renovation that would cost more than $100 million, according to the state budget passed by the Senate and the House before the end of the legislative session. The budget would allow for Oak View Group — the contractor that runs day-to-day operations in the arena — to invest $20 million toward the renovations. The state could invest up to $80 million, according to the budget document, for the much-needed repairs to the arena that hosts a variety of events in downtown Hartford. The push to get funding for the renovations comes as Hartford officials and Gov. Ned Lamont have been courting the Arizona Coyotes, the NHL hockey team that has struggled to find a permanent home in Arizona. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said Monday that he hoped the renovations could happen soon.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/capitalregion/article/xl-center-renovations-downtown-hartford-18149862.php?src=sthppromostrip