Three years into the five-year federal law, $568 billion, or 47%, of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds have been announced, per a White House fact sheet released Nov. 15. Announced funds are up about 25% from $454 billion for 56,000 projects disbursed as of May — the law’s halfway mark — and up 42% from the year-ago period. The law, however, faces an uncertain future as the Trump administration prepares to take office. Biden officials are rushing to get infrastructure funds out the door ahead of the incoming Trump administration, AP News reported. On Nov. 15, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced over $3.4 billion in IIJA grants to expand passenger rail, make roads safer, improve ports and otherwise strengthen supply chains, according to a U.S. DOT news release. Although 19 Republicans voted for the IIJA, President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to scale back the government and dismantle parts of Biden’s bills. Experts say that federal support for public transportation, Amtrak, high-speed rail and electric vehicles may be at risk.

https://www.constructiondive.com/news/iija-progress-year-three-trump/733228/

Bridgeport Station Development LLC was introduced Tuesday by the administration of Gov. Ned Lamont as the new owner of Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 3, which was the last of Connecticut’s coal-fired generators of electricity when PSEG closed it in 2021. The Community Investment Fund, a competitive grant program overseen by lawmakers and the Department of Economic and Community Development, already has committed $22.5 million for the demolition of the plant, essentially making the state a broker in the deal. While the grant offsets the costs of demolition, the $1 purchase price indicates that PSEG is selling the liability for any required environmental remediation along with the potential for waterfront development. The state’s financial commitment is limited to the demolition grant. Bridgeport Station Development is responsible for any other costs, as well as redeveloping the land under conditions outlined by the state.

New life promised for an old coal-fired plant in Bridgeport

The land also lies in a flood plain and will, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, need to be raised before anything new is constructed there to avoid future flooding during severe storms. Parks said Bridgeport Station Development is responsible for the underground clean up costs, the extent of which are still being determined, thus the $1 purchase price. Meanwhile the state last fall committed $22.5 million toward razing the plant through the new Connecticut Community Investment Fund. That pot of money is administered by a board consisting of state legislators and various department heads. A few of Bridgeport’s other requests for CIF dollars have been rebuffed in recent years, but Lamont noted his administration had no qualms about investing in taking the plant down. The plant was decommissioned in 2021 under an agreement initially forged under Ganim’s predecessor, Mayor Bill Finch, who was not in attendance Tuesday, and continued when Ganim took office in late 2015. In exchange PSEG built a new natural gas-fired facility next door that came online in 2019 and was sold in 2023.

https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/lamont-bridgeport-pseg-power-plant-redevelopment-19926499.php

The beeping of a backhoe and the rush of asphalt from a dump truck was the soundtrack to Monday morning at the Lymes’ Senior Center. Building Committee Chairwoman Jeri Baker donned a fluorescent yellow and orange vest and a hard hat to take a walk around the $6.4 million renovation project, which is on track for completion by March after a belated start. The committee hired Newfield Construction of Hartford to manage the project designed by Old Lyme-based Point One Architects. The guys ― including at least one woman driving the asphalt truck ― are preparing the site for the final phase of construction, which will focus on the interior of the expanded 8,737-square-foot building.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20241118/lymes-senior-center-on-track-for-march-reopening/#

City leaders aim to begin construction next month on the final phase of a $4 million ARPA-project to enhance the local harbor and improve the athletic complex behind the library. The last leg of Founders Walk, connecting Milford Public Library off New Haven Avenue and the city marina off Helwig Street, is set to be completed next month along with a redesign of Shipyard Lane — weather permitting — according to State Sen. James Maroney. The redesign would have Shipyard Lane continue past the library and the Fowler athletic complex’s basketball and tennis courts before turning sharply right and continuing to the boat launch parking lot.

Milford to Begin Final Phase of $4M Harbor and Athletic Complex Upgrades

From pulling permits to disconnecting utilities, the former Hotchkiss Mill property on Water and Church streets is being prepared for demolition, officials say. The demolition of the buildings will take place over the next 60 days as part of phase one of the Hotchkiss Mill project, Carbone said. Once the demolition is completed, she said, the property owners will conduct brownfield remediation work on the property and then determine a redevelopment plan. Plans to redevelop the former Hotchkiss Mill property began in August 2021. A development group led by Paul Janerico, owner of Water’s Way and Paydirt LLC, presented the City Council with a concept design of the properties at 199 Water St., formerly known as the Hotchkiss Bros. factory, north to 229 Church St., formerly known as the Minetto building.

https://www.registercitizen.com/news/article/torrington-hotchkiss-mill-property-demolition-19900414.php

The state has awarded the city $1.4 million for two new soccer fields at Columbus Park, making way for MidState Medical Center to develop land currently home to grass soccer fields. The $4 million Meriden Soccer Athletic Complex project involves tearing out two existing softball fields at Columbus Park, located at 208 Lewis Ave., and replacing them with two all-turf soccer fields. With the combined $3.1 million from the hospital and the state, the town only needed to invest $1 million to complete the project, which is expected to open to the public next year. The state money was provided through the Community Investment Fund. The Columbus Park project is the latest in recent park renovations, including two baseball fields installed at North End Field last year and a new playscape in Columbus Park adjacent to John Barry Elementary.

https://www.ctinsider.com/recordjournal/article/meriden-1-4m-soccer-fields-columbus-park-midstate-19917470.php

Demolition of the former elementary school commenced Oct. 30, following the approval of a $600,000 construction project budget transfer to address a shortfall in the Consolidated Early Learning Academy building project budget and allow for abatement and demolition at the old Consolidated site. The $29.2 million Consolidated Early Learning Academy construction project was approved by taxpayers in October 2019 — along with $84.2 million for a new high school — with some costs offset by state funding. With abatement of the old Consolidated School site complete, about two-thirds of the building had been knocked down as of Wednesday, Joe Vetro from O&G Industries said during the PBC’s Nov. 13 meeting.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/new-fairfield-old-consolidated-school-demolition-19916233.php

The North Street Bridge is on track to be replaced next summer, but doing the job on a shorter timeline is going to cost up to $700,000 more than originally expected. The Department of Public Works originally projected it would cost $3 million to replace the century-old bridge over at least 18 months, but officials drastically shortened the timeline to just 10 months after residents bemoaned the prospect of facing a year-long traffic jam, among other concerns. DPW asked the BET budget committee for the extra $700,000 on Nov. 13. The request was approved by the budget committee, but it still needs authorization from the full BET and the Representative Town Meeting. Work is now scheduled to begin in March. The first phase, from March to June, will keep the bridge open to traffic with some intermittent disruptions as crews do pre-work, like relocating utilities. The second phase, from June to August, will see the bridge torn down and replaced.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/greenwich-north-street-bridge-cost-more-faster-19915960.php

The state Department of Transportation will hold a hybrid public information meeting next week where it will present its plans for a $32.8 million rehabilitation of the Mohegan-Pequot Bridge. The meeting will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Montville Public Safety Building at 911 Norwich-New London Turnpike. Participants can also join on Zoom. Mohegan-Pequot Bridge is a two-lane, steel girder bridge that spans the Thames River. It connects Montville and Preston via Route 2A. According to Barrows, the project, which is expected to begin in spring 2028, will address “existing deterioration” on the bridge, and extend the service life for “another 20 years or more.” DOT Communications Director Josh Morgan added the project will involve repairing critical steel components of the bridge to make sure they remain in “a state of good repair,” while milling and paving the road to make a smooth travel surface.

https://www.theday.com/local-news/20241115/public-meeting-to-be-held-next-week-on-32-8m-rehab-of-mohegan-pequot-bridge/