July 24, 2014

GOV. MALLOY: NEW REPORT OUTLINES SHORT-TERM FIXES TO IMPROVE THE RELIABILITY OF THE WALK RAILROAD BRIDGE IN NORWALK

State Bond Commission Agenda Includes $3 Million to Fund Repairs Recommended In Report

(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy and state Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner James P. Redeker today released a report outlining recommendations for short-term fixes to improve the reliability of the New Haven Line's Walk Railroad Bridge in Norwalk. The 118-year-old bridge recently malfunctioned in two separate incidents within a two week period, causing train delays and commuter frustration on Metro-North's commuter line. Governor Malloy also announced that the State Bond Commission is expected to approve $3 million at its meeting this Friday to fund the improvements recommended in the report.

"The New Haven Line is the busiest commuter rail line in America and one malfunctioning bridge can disrupt the entire Northeast Corridor. Because our customers - and our economy - rely on this system every day, we are implementing these fixes to increase reliability in the near term until the full replacement of the Walk Bridge can begin," Governor Malloy said. "I commend the team of professionals who completed the thorough engineering evaluation of the bridge and developed these recommendations in record time, as well as the Metro-North personnel who have been manually operating the bridge without failure since we met in June to discuss the fate of the Walk Bridge."

After holding a Walk Bridge "crisis summit" on June 9th with Metro-North, Governor Malloy announced the establishment of a Short Term Action Team (STAT) charged with reviewing, investigating and determining the best approach to improve the mechanical reliability of the Walk Bridge. The team consisted of CTDOT engineers and bridge inspectors, Metro-North engineers, and consultant bridge inspectors and engineers. The report that resulted from STAT's work outlines a series of modifications that can be made over the next nine months that will improve the operating systems and reliability of the bridge until the bridge can ultimately be replaced. The state funding will pay for work on the devices that lift the rails and re-seat them, and other improvements that will restore the automated operation to the bridge.

CTDOT Commissioner Redeker said that the fixes will include establishing a separate drive system to open and close the movable pieces of rail that lock the bridge into place, installing electronic switches, and implementing repairs to rollers and rods in the center pier on which the bridge pivots. A gear and shaft system will also be readjusted to properly align wedges at either end of the movable span that lock it into place. The new mechanisms will be programmed into the automation of the bridge to reduce the manpower currently needed to open the bridge.

In April, Governor Malloy announced that the State of Connecticut has applied for $360 million in Federal Transit Administration funding to replace the Walk Bridge and expects to hear receive an answer to that request by this fall.

The State Bond Commission is scheduled to vote on the funding for repairs at its meeting tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in Room 1E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

** Download : CTDOT's Walk Bridge Repair and Reliability Report

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For Immediate Release: July 24, 2014

Facebook: Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy