New Connecticut River Bridge Will ‘Start the Clock Over’
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Amtrak began construction of a new, modern Connecticut River Bridge to replace the existing bridge, which opend in 1907. It is located on the Northeast Corridor between the towns of Old Saybrook and Old Lyme and used by Amtrak, CTRail’s Shore Line East and freight trains.
Courtesy of Amtrak
OLD LYME, Conn. - Amtrak shares a video highlighting the progress on the Connecticut River Bridge project.
In September 2024, RT&S reported that Amtrak had begun construction on the new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme in Connecticut. The original structure was completed in 1907 and opens daily during peak seasons. Along with maritime traffic traveling underneath, more than 50 Amtrak and CTrail trains traverse the aging structure daily, leading to traffic congestion. Because the structure is more than a century old, the constant opening and closing has caused the bridge to fail, resulting in “cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic.” The bascule span would get stuck, and crews would “have to rush out here and repair it,” says Amtrak Sr. Director of Portfolio Management Andrew Walter.
Since construction began more than a year ago, Amtrak said recently that it has made “significant progress” since. The new structure’s design life will essentially “start the clock over again,” says Walter in the video, reproduced below. The new bridge will also feature more modern track, signal, power, and communication systems. The video, shared by Amtrak, highlights the progress made on the new structure, which will be simpler to maintain. Additionally, trains will be able to travel 55% faster when the bridge opens by 2031, says Amtrak.
