CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546

FOR RELEASE: August 27, 2014

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

Weekend Closure for Replacement of Route 17 Bridge in Middletown

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is announcing that Route 17, South Main Street, in Middletown between Route 155 (Randolph Road) and Wesleyan Hills Road will be closed to through traffic beginning 7 p.m. Friday, September 5, and will reopen by 3 pm. Monday, September 8, 2014.

The project consists of the replacement of Bridge No. 02190 using a rapid construction technique to compress the time to 68 hours for replacement of the structure due to the high traffic volumes in the area and the associated inconvenience of long duration stage construction used in typical bridge replacement projects.  This technique is another type of accelerated bridge construction that requires the contractor to demolish and replace the entire bridge over a short duration.  The key to its success is the amount of pre-planning that involves relocation of any utilities and having all necessary equipment on site; all materials are fabricated and available prior to the road closure. 

Upon completion the bridge which is currently 16 feet long and 28 feet wide will be 31 feet long and support a 41 foot wide roadway with two 12’ travel lanes with shoulders that will be 8’-9’ wide. 

A detour will be utilized to bypass traffic around the bridge site for a 68 hour period to allow for the demolition of the existing structure, construction of the new precast concrete arch, and the first paving course on the bridge to open to traffic after closure.

Construction of the parapets as well as the road reconstruction at the approaches to the bridge, final paving, guide rail and drainage items will be completed using temporary daily lane closures following the weekend closure. 

Advance utility work for the water main and aerial utilities is in progress and will be completed prior to the scheduled weekend closure. 

The rain date for the road closure will be September 12 to September 15. 

DOT Project No. 0082-0298 was awarded to J. Iapaluccio, Inc. of Brookfield at a cost of $1,652,051.35.  The project is being administered by the District 1 Office of Construction in Rocky Hill and is scheduled for completed in November 2014.