ConnDOT plans to replace Walk Bridge

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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Office of Sen. Blumenthal

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) plans to close a $188-million funding gap for the design and replacement of the 118-year-old Walk Bridge in Norwalk, Conn., which malfunctioned in two separate incidents within a two week period over the summer, and is used by Metro-North New Haven Line trains.

 

“The operational failures of the Walk Bridge underscored how critically important it is to upgrade and bring our aging transportation infrastructure into the 21st century – something my administration has been addressing over the last several years with smart, strategic investments in our mass transit and highway systems,” said Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy. “Since the malfunctions we saw last summer, we have carried out the repairs and procedures necessary to minimize the risk for failure in the short-term and have aggressively pursued the funding necessary to implement a realistic finance plan that will bring us all the way from design to a full replacement as soon as possible.”

The federal government recently awarded ConnDOT $161 million for infrastructure hardening purposes which, combined with existing state funds designated for the Walk Bridge replacement, gives Connecticut about $277 million to put toward the $465-million total estimated project cost. In all, this project will be funded with 34 percent state funds and 66 percent federal funds.

“The Walk Bridge has been stuck in the 19th century for far too long and today’s announcement will finally bring a permanent, 21st century solution,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). “For decades, the Walk Bridge was allowed to decay and deteriorate, as both the state and federal government kicked the can down the road and ignored glaring warning signs. Here and with other major transportation investments, Governor Malloy is to be commended for recognizing that we must invest now in our rail and transportation infrastructure, or pay later with cascading failures, intolerable traffic congestion and diminished opportunities for economic development.”

Gov. Malloy also outlined the state’s aggressive schedule for the project, which is using an “alternative delivery” process, specifically the construction manager/general contractor process. ConnDOT will issue a request for qualifications this month to start contractor selection and expects the design for the replacement bridge, which began in July, to be complete by 2016. With a contract bid package complete by late 2016, construction of the replacement bridge could begin in 2017 with a completion date in 2020. The combination of the additional funding and the alternative project delivery method will result in getting this project done many years ahead of the original schedule for the project.

Connecticut owns the bridge, Metro-North, under contract with the state, maintains the Walk Bridge and opens and closes it as required by the needs of marine traffic. Built in 1896, the Walk Bridge is the oldest movable bridge along the New Haven Line/Northeast Corridor in Connecticut. The bridge will be replaced with a more resilient bascule bridge.

 

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