Emily DiSalvo

HARTFORD — Capacity on the Hartford Line rail will increase from 35 to 44 trains per day thanks to $105 million in new federal funding, according to the state Department of Transportation.

A federal-state partnership grant totaling nearly $105 million will allow for an increased number tracks in three segments of the Hartford Line, particularly the northern sections.

"Hartford area is still single track, north of Hartford is still single track," said DOT Commissioner Garrett T. Eucalitto in an interview with CT Insider. "So this will allow us to do more double tracking, essentially allow us to add more trains on the Hartford Line corridor."

The funding will also allow for improved signals and grade crossings in three segments totaling 6.2 miles of the Hartford Line. Work will focus in the Hartford-West Hartford, Windsor-Windsor Locks and Enfield portions of the tracks.

There are currently no train stations in West Hartford and Enfield, but the railroad does run through these towns and construction on an Enfield station is expected to start in 2025. 

Construction is expected to stretch from August 2024 to August 2027 with the project being fully completed in November 2027, according to documents from the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

"We always try to avoid service interruptions, but we try to do the most cost-effective ways to do construction," Eucalitto said. "So there were some service interruptions when Amtrak did some track tie replacements. So we'll have to see once we finalize the design."

Connecticut DOT will provide $41.9 million in matching funds to go toward the project.

This announcement comes amid progress in connecting the Hartford Line to Boston. Ridership on Amtrak trains on the Hartford Line has increased recently with 439,000 passengers in 2023 versus 324,300 in 2022. 

Regular riders on the Hartford Line are hopeful the addition of some double tracks in some areas will reduce delays and increase the frequency of trains. Ben Heckscher, who lives in western Massachusetts, is the founder of Trains in the Valley, a transportation advocacy group. He said the announcement about the construction is "fantastic news."

"Many of the Hartford line trains run between New Haven and Hartford and then there's fewer that run all the way up to Springfield," Heckscher said. "And one of the reasons that they all can't go to Springfield is because there's portions of the line where there's only one track."

For people in western Massachusetts, the Hartford Line serves as a connection to New Haven and New York, Heckscher explained.

"Rail service in western Massachusetts and Connecticut is for us like having an airport," Heckscher said. "If you don't have the services, you have to rely only on a car. When you look at what other countries are doing or what other parts of the country are doing, we feel like we should be able to get between smaller to medium to larger cities through passenger rail."

Adding double tracks in these areas is more than just laying down another set of train tracks. The construction will involve updated signaling, culverts, and crossings, according to DOT.

This project is one of a range of federally transportation improvement projects coming to Connecticut through the U.S. Department of Transportation. Other projects include the replacement of a 116-year old Amtrak bridge in Old Saybrook and the replacement of the Saugatuck River Bridge, which is 118 years old.

"Joe Biden is the builder, working alongside our delegation that's going to transform the state," said Gov. Ned Lamont at an announcement near the Saugatuck Bridge. "Transportation is so key."

Kent celebrates completion of first phase of streetscape project: 'True joy to walk around town'

Sandra Diamond Fox

KENT — The town is celebrating the completion of the $1.7 million first phase of its streetscape project — a project that has been over a decade in the making.

In recognition of the project, which was made possible through a $500,000 award from the Connecticut Department of Housing’s Main Street Investment Fund Grant, the town will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday on on the front lawn of Morrison Gallery, 60 N. Main St. The ceremony, which will take place along the project’s route, is open to the entire community.

“We are honored to have the presence of the (Connecticut) Department of Housing commissioner, Seila Mosquera-Bruno, join us to celebrate this milestone achievement. The commissioner’s participation underscores the importance of this initiative and its positive impact on the community. This project is so emblematic of how our community comes together,” Kent First Selectman Jean Speck said in a statement.

The project extends on Route 7 from the Soldiers’ Monument to the railroad tracks. On the east side of the street, the work extends up to the crosswalk. On the west side, it ends at the Fife ‘n Drum Restaurant & Inn parking lot, where a new crosswalk was installed.

Speck said in the statement there were multiple citizen committees who volunteered their time and expertise “to bring an early idea of improving the safety and walkability in the village from concept to a town resolution to move forward.” Speck, a Democrat, who was first elected in 2019 and reelected in 2021, is not seeking a third term.

She added former Kent First Selectman Bruce Adams “kept the project moving in the early days and applied for grants to offset the impact to taxpayers.” After both phases are complete, the project is expected to cost $3 million. 

Speck said she took the project through the final design stage to hiring a contractor and seeing construction through to completion.

The project involves replacing approximately 11,000 linear feet of sidewalks. Phase one was expected to cost about $1.7 million. Phase two will include Route 7 south of the Soldiers’ Monument, to Kent Greenhouse & Gardens, and 341 East on the south side of the street, which is the firehouse side. On the north side, it will go to Maple Street Extension and end at Stuart Farm Apartments, and include the south side of Lane Street.

Phase two is expected to begin next fall, Speck said Monday.

Speck thanked the village businesses who she said were patient and flexible and allowed the construction crews to complete the project on time.

“Every one of our residents had a hand in bringing this to fruition, and it’s a true joy to walk around town,” she said in the statement.

The ceremony will be followed by light refreshments including sweets from Rosie’s Kitchen in Kent, providing an opportunity for the community "to share in the celebrating the success of this transformative project," the statement said.

For more information, visit townofkent.org.

Phase III of Meriden Linear Trail officially opens

Mary Ellen Godin

MERIDEN — City officials cut the ribbon Monday on Phase III of the Harbor Brook Trail, which extends the city’s linear trail from Coe to Columbus avenues.

“It’s really a thrill and joy to be here as we cut the ribbon on this linear trail not only for the residents of all of Meriden, but throughout the state. We invite everyone to come to Meriden to experience what Meriden has to offer,” said Mayor Kevin Scarpati. “This makes a more walkable community,  a greener community. This is the latest phase, but we’re not done yet.”

Scarpati was joined by representatives from BL Companies, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the city’s parks, education, public works, economic development, police and engineering departments. Two state lawmakers also attended the ribbon cutting. 

Scarpati acknowledged state and federal grant funds that helped finance the work as well as members of the Linear Trail Committee and its efforts to keep the projects on track.  

The city’s completed linear trail system currently runs from Cheshire to Red Bridge in South Meriden, to Oregon Road near Hanover Pond behind two city schools, and onto Coe Avenue. The project has cost $12.5 million to date. The state DEEP gave the city $7 million for the 1.1 miles in Phase III, said City Engineer Brian Ennis. 

“This phase went from Coe Avenue to Leslie Drive, crossed under Hanover Avenue to Cooper Street. The next phase is going from Cooper Street to the railroad bridge,” Ennis said. “There is about 87 moving parts on this project. About 18 months ago when we first started, I walked the project with about eight people from the DEEP. It was hard to envision how it’s going to look. This looks so much better than it looked on paper.” 

The city created two parking lots for trail usage. One lot is on the corner of Cook Avenue and Summer Street and the other at 59 Columbus Avenue. Ennis said there may be times when work requires a short closure. But for the most part, the trail is open.

“It’s going to be nice on Saturday,” Ennis said. “Come out for a walk.”

Economic Development Director Joseph Feest looked over the bridge to the river below and recalled how many years ago, when he was on the City Council, Red Bridge linear trail was completed. He and others thought that might be it. 

“There are tremendous changes going on,” Feest said. “This is one of the things for the quality of life. Even for businesses, people want to take breaks and get outside and do something. Employees want to get out for a walk. It’s within nature as much as you can be in a city. It’s a definite positive for employers. We have gorgeous facilities and this is another one.”

City and state officials tied the linear trail project with the city’s massive flood control project that seeks to halt flooding by widening and deepening the Harbor Brook channels. Each project is designed to hold and drain water faster to alleviate most backup flooding.   

“This is so much better,” Feest continued. “We are taking away areas that are prone to flooding by expanding these channels, but we are using them for flooding and recreation. Looking down at the shallow brook surrounded by rip rap, Feest said. “I would rather this flood than somebody’s basement.”

The fourth phase of the flood control project recently received $11.6 million in Federal Emergency Management Administration funding. The city is also looking to connect Giufridda Park to Middletown in the multi-town central Connecticut Loop Trail.

Norwich officials to discuss next steps after voters reject new police station

Claire Bessette

Norwich ― Tuesday’s 165-vote defeat of a proposed $44.75 million police station left city leaders to dissect the public opposition and to plan another path to replace the cramped, obsolete 44-year-old police headquarters.

Was the price tag too high on the heels of last year’s approval of a massive $385 million school reconstruction project? Were voters objecting to the top proposed location behind the Rose City Senior Center? Did the city rush to place the item on the Nov. 7 referendum ballot with little chance for public comment and ideas?

And what’s next?

“The need does not go away after the vote,” Police Chief Patrick Daley said Wednesday.

Daley said while public officials were hampered this fall by state law that prohibits public officials from advocating for or against a referendum item, he will recommend holding a series of public meetings and even police station tours after the holidays to better publicize the need for a new station.

Daley said there are few options for improving the current station, which opened in 1979 at 70 Thames St. overlooking Norwich Harbor. The proposal called for a 50,000-square-foot building on three acres of property to accommodate the station and public parking for community events.

“The property is small, it’s narrow,” Daley said. “Economically and realistically, you cannot add onto this building. And it’s a working facility. You’d have to live through the construction.”

City officials considered several potential sites for the police station, but the only one listed publicly in the current effort was the nearly 30-acre property adjacent to Mohegan Park off Ox Hill Road and behind the senior center on Mahan Drive. Residents objected to placing the police station “in Mohegan Park,” preferring downtown or other options.

Daley said if the city holds public informational sessions, residents could offer ideas and ask questions about potential sites and the department’s space needs. He said some sites suggested by residents are privately owned, are not for sale or would be cost prohibitive.

In October, the City Council agreed to buy the vacant Ox Hill Road property ― before the referendum ― for $385,000 using federal American Rescue Plan Act grant money.

City Manager John Salomone said Wednesday he had recommended buying the property regardless of the police station measure, although council resolutions approving the purchase named it as the top site for the new police station.

Salomone said he talked with Daley after the results became known Tuesday night, and the two will sit down and discuss options. He said he could not comment on options until they meet.

“I wanted to buy that land anyway,” Salomone said. “It’s contiguous to Mohegan Park. I envision a walking path right from senior center into Mohegan Park. It really links some of our best recreation facilities and the schools. It’s just a great asset.”

Mayor Peter Nystrom is not in favor of putting the police station bond back on the ballot a year from now. Nystrom said city leaders need to assess the outcome of the vote, the strengths and weaknesses of the proposal and what to do next.

“Clearly, communication was an issue,” said Nystrom, who campaigned actively for Republican candidates going door-to-door. “People thought it was a done deal at Mahan Drive, but clearly that wasn’t in the question. I think we have to hold community meetings. I’m not ready to put it on next year’s ballot.”

Nystrom, who voted in favor of the Ox Hill Road purchase resolution, said he would prefer a downtown site for the police station. The referendum asked voters to approve the bond money to build a new station but did not name the Ox Hill Road site.

“We did look at nine different sites before we got that one,” Nystrom said. “The people I encountered in the fall, nobody liked that site.”

Nystrom also speculated that part of the opposition could have been sticker shock.

Voters a year ago overwhelmingly approved the $385 million school construction project to replace the current seven aging elementary schools with four new school buildings. The city will go out to bid soon for the first two school buildings, and taxpayers will begin to pay the debt service for the bonds in their property taxes.

“I think we have to recognize that we’re building new schools, and we need to understand what people can and cannot afford,” Nystrom said

Construction starts on medical building in North Branford

Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

Construction began this month on a new 48,000-square-foot medical building, the Connecticut Health and Wellness Center, in North Branford.

Workers officially broke ground on the project, at 28 Branford Rd., on Nov. 2. The building project is slated to be finished and ready for occupancy in June 2024, according to Haynes Development, the construction manager.

The property is owned by 28 Branford Road LLC, with Thomas Haynes, owner of Haynes Development, listed as its principal. 

It purchased the five-acre property in May for $850,000, according to town records.

The development will feature two buildings, with the primary tenant to be BHcare, which will occupy 36,000 of the available 48,000 square feet.

BHcare, which has administrative offices in North Haven, offers various counseling and behavioral health services, such as promoting mental health, helping with recovery from substance abuse and gambling disorders, and providing domestic violence-related assistance.

BHcare has locations throughout Greater New Haven. Once it moves into the new building, BHcare’s North Branford address will be 29 Branford Rd.

Roberta J. Cook, president and CEO of BHcare, said of the construction project, “As we break ground for our new Shoreline location, we are not only constructing a new facility, we are building hope, healing, and a brighter future for countless individuals who will benefit from the services offered here.”

CT contractor ordered to restore wetlands, pay fine for Clean Water Act violations

Andrew Larson

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has entered into an agreement with a Middlefield-based construction contractor requiring the company to restore wetlands that it filled, and to pay a civil penalty for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act.

The EPA said the settlement resolves allegations that Silenex Associates LLC violated federal law when it discharged, dredged and/or filled about 12 acres of freshwater wetlands and other waters at 186 Cherry Lane in Durham.

The unpermitted filling and clearing of wetlands and tributaries, which occurred between 2018 and 2021, was meant to create farm fields, according to the EPA.

As part of the settlement, Silenex will restore and/or mitigate 8.5 acres of freshwater wetlands and about 3,000 linear feet of the impacted tributaries to their natural condition. In addition, Silenex will pay a civil penalty of $24,500.

According to the EPA, natural wetlands provide a valuable habitat for wildlife and are “vital to protecting the integrity of our nation’s waters.”

Converting natural wetlands to other uses can “profoundly alter flood flows, undermine the pollutant-filtering abilities of wetlands and reduce important habitat,” the EPA says.

“One of EPA’s most important jobs is to protect water resources, such as wetlands, for both communities and wildlife,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “EPA is committed to protecting clean water resources like wetlands and holding accountable those who fail to follow laws that ensure their protection. This settlement will ensure the restoration of vital wetlands that provide a range of important ecological benefits for wildlife and local communities.” 

Silenex, an affiliate of Xenelis Construction Co. Inc., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Large contractors, union shops better at anti-harassment training

Joe Bousquin

More than two-thirds of contractors now offer anti-harassment training, a finding that suggests a majority of construction companies recognize the importance of creating an inclusive worksite, according to a recent report from Dodge Construction Network. 

Size matters when it comes to this kind of training in construction, the report concluded. While 69% of all companies offer anti-harassment training, 89% of large companies do so. On the other hand, just 34% of small contractors carry out the practice. 

There was also a large disparity between union and non-union shops: Contractors that hire union workers are more than twice as likely (85%) to have anti-harassment training than those that hire non-union workers exclusively (42%). 

Produced in partnership with CPWR, The Center for Construction Research and Training, the report found that despite the industry’s racist, sexist reputation, contractors are emphasizing tolerance and acceptance on jobsites via anti-harassment training.

The majority of companies that offer this training — 60% — do so once a year. But one-fifth only do so “when needed.” 

The on-demand approach could be problematic, however, since “the need for it may not always be evident to those who make the training decisions,” the report said. “Repetition also reinforces the messaging, and an investment in regular training can also indicate to employees that company leadership takes this issue seriously.”

On this front, the divide between union and non-union shops was also evident. It is far more common for contractors that exclusively hire non-union craftworkers to only offer the training when needed, rather than with a regular cadence.

The types of anti-harassment training also varied by company size, with large companies being far more likely than midsize or small ones to offer training on harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Among contractors that offer anti-harassement training, nearly all focus on sexual harassment, with fewer than three-fourths talking about gender identity. The percentage of companies that cover the following topics breaks down as follows:

Sexual harassment, 97%.

Racial harassment, 94%.

Bullying, 84%.

Harassment based on sexual orientation, 77%.

Harassment based on gender identity, 70%. 

The report concluded that small companies need more support from the industry to provide this kind of training. Given the shortage of skilled workers in the sector, the report said, having a welcoming onsite culture is particularly important for worker retention, with small companies likely benefiting most from increased focus in this area.

Construction groups sue over Davis-Bacon change

Zachary Phillips

Contractor employer groups have sued the federal government over a recent final rule change to the Davis-Bacon Act, which went into effect Oct. 23.

On Tuesday, Associated Builders and Contractors and its Southeast Texas chapter filed suit against the federal government in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and Associated General Contractors of America filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. 

The rule change aimed to raise the hourly earnings of workers for general contractors and subcontractors on federally funded projects, such as those under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act.

The groups said the change would raise the price of those projects substantially, and cost taxpayers more. Now, ABC and AGC are claiming in court the rule change is illegal, just two weeks after it became official. 

ABC named the Department of Labor, acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and Wage and Hour Division Administrator Jessica Looman as plaintiffs in the filing. AGC named just Su and the DOL.

The rule change, first announced in March 2022, restored the DOL’s prevailing wage definition to make it equivalent to 30% of workers, rather than 50%, in a given trade locality. Under the previous process, at least 51% of wages surveyed by the DOL needed to fall within a “same or similar” margin. If they didn’t, the weighted average would decide the prevailing wage, meaning more frequent occurrences of low wages could drag down the overall rate.

In an effort to reverse that, the DOL returned to the system used until 1983, when President Ronald Reagan made changes, in a major blow to organized labor. During a 60-day comment period, the DOL received 40,938 comments on the rule change.

Formal complaints

ABC said it submitted nearly 70 pages of comments on the matter to dissuade the federal government from adopting the change. Now, it’s taking the matter to court.

“The DOL’s final rule forces ABC to take legal action to address its numerous illegal provisions and protect its members, the free market and taxpayers from the devastating impacts of this regulation,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs, in a release. 

AGC’s challenge indicated the federal government had overreached by applying Davis-Bacon rules to other industries connected to construction, such as manufacturing and delivery truck drivers.

“As an industry that largely pays above existing Davis-Bacon rates, our concerns are with the administration’s unconstitutional exercise of legislative power and not with the wage rate themselves,” AGC CEO Stephen Sandherr said in a release. 

The organization also challenged President Joe Biden’s administration for ruling that the federal government can retroactively apply Davis-Bacon rules to contracts that omitted them initially.

The DOL declined to comment on the litigation.

Progressive design-build gains ground in US

Sebastian Obando

Progressive design-build continues to gain momentum across the United States, especially in California, according to panelists at the 2023 Design-Build Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C., last week.

“We had over 160 design-build related bills introduced,” said Richard Thomas, director at DBIA, describing efforts to introduce laws that allow public agencies to use the procurement method. “The industry standard is about 25%, only about 25% of bills that get introduced get passed. We had a 78% success rate, that’s incredible.”

The panel included both Mike Meredith, vice president and director of design-build programs at Vanir Construction, a Sacramento, California-based construction firm, and Praful Kulkarni, director of integrated services at principal at CannonDesign, a New York City-based architecture and engineering firm, two construction executives who played crucial roles in getting California’s Senate Bill 706 passed in 2023.

That bill expands authority for the use of progressive design-build by state and local agencies in California. For instance, CalTrans and various water agencies across the Golden State are increasingly adopting the project delivery method.

Legislation in California

To get that bill passed, DBIA gathered a coalition of stakeholders, including various counties, school districts and government agencies. Meredith also engaged in extensive education and outreach, not only within the design-build community but also with committee staff and legislators. Additionally, Meredith explained it was essential to demonstrate the benefits of progressive design-build and how it had already been successfully implemented in other states.

“Reaching out to the various stakeholders that historically either supported us or needed to be brought up to speed on what progressive is, gave us an opportunity to lay the groundwork,” Meredith said. “That’s how we got started.”

Progressive design-build refers to a project delivery method that uses a qualifications-based criteria, followed by a process where the owner negotiates a design and contract price directly with the construction team. That means the owner usually retains the design-builder early in the life of the project and, in some cases, before the design has been developed at all.

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Design-builders then deliver the project in two distinct phases. Phase one includes budget level design development, preconstruction services and the negotiation of a firm contract price, while phase two involves the final design, construction and commissioning, according to the Design-Build Institute of America.

The method differs from design-bid-build projects, where owners contract designers and builders independently. Under a progressive design-build contract, however, the owner initiates a single construct with a design-builder to design and complete preconstruction tasks.

According to DBIA, using a progressive design-build method:

Streamlines and simplifies the procurement process.

Enables the owner to provide substantial input on the design and buyout decisions.

Shortens the overall project schedule with quicker procurement process and opportunity to use early work packages in phasing the work.

Lessens pressure from the owner in terms of the time required to review and act upon design submittals.

Along with California, other states are also beginning to recognize the benefits of this approach for larger, riskier projects, said Vince Campanella, vice president of operations at Lydig Construction, a Spokane Valley, Washington-based construction company. Campanella has completed $500 million in public and private design-build projects with Lydig, and nearly $750 million in design-build projects throughout his career.

Progressive design-build in action

For example, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority’s board of directors approved a $819 million design-build contract in October for the construction of the Potomac River Tunnel, the largest ever awarded by the authority. In Terre Haute, Indiana, battery parts producer Entek selected Chicago-based Clayco as the design-build contractor for its $1.5 billion lithium battery separator facility.

Other states with recent design-build initiatives include Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana, Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia and New York, according to the DBIA.

But issues with the progressive design-build method still remain, said Meredith.

Labor unions often scrutinize legislation for any potential impact on their workforce. In the case of SB 706 in California, the bill included requirements for project labor agreements and skilled and trained workforce mandates, said Beau Biller, lobbyist with Platinum Advisors focused on clients in local government, engineering, transit, water and energy.

“That might not be desirable for a lot of cities,” said Biller. “Especially if they’re remote and it’s difficult for public owners or entities who have to go execute work and try to be compliant with that particular component of the legislation.”

Other potential obstacles to progressive design-build include:

Some owners find awarding a construction contract without full price competition to be politically impractical, and prefer to have price factored into the selection process.

Procurement regulations may require subcontractors to be procured competitively. This can limit collaboration and deprive the project of valuable subcontractor input during the design process.

Owners may feel the best value design-build process already works well and that there is no need to try another method of construction.

Nevertheless, DBIA continues to enjoy success with legislation. In 1993, when DBIA was first established, only three states authorized design-build. Today, 48 states have granted design-build methods, said Thomas.

“We had a record number of bills passed in California and we had a record of progressive design-build bills,” said Thomas. “We had historic funding for infrastructure, and we were successful in most of these major builds of getting design-build provisions put in.”

CT CONSTRUCTION DIGEST TUESDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2023

CT gets $2B in federal funding for rail projects, bridge replacements

Lisa Hagen

Connecticut is set to receive nearly $2 billion in federal funding to repair bridges and update aging infrastructure that serve major rail lines along Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor and other regional train services.

The Federal Railroad Administration selected 10 projects across the state for rehabilitation and modernization through the bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Amtrak sought greater annual funding from Congress, warning of potential disruptions to services and raising concerns about the need for updating crumbling infrastructure. Some bridges with rail service in Connecticut have needed updates or replacements for years to fix deteriorating conditions.

The money for some of Connecticut’s projects is part of a larger tranche of $16.4 billion announced by the Biden administration on Monday for rail projects along the Northeast Corridor that shuttle passengers between Boston and Washington, D.C.

“This grant fundings helps address a backlog of major projects and improvements that will help improve the safety and reliability of rail service, offer operational flexibility and provide for increased capacity, speed, and efficiencies of rail transportation along the Northeast Corridor,” Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement.

Gov. Ned Lamont credited the efforts of both the Biden administration and Connecticut’s congressional delegation in securing the transportation funding for a state and region that heavily relies upon rail, especially for commuting.

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Nearly half of the money — about $827 million — is going toward the Connecticut River Bridge, a 116-year old bridge used by Amtrak’s main line and intercity services as well as Connecticut Shore Line East and freight trains.

The funding will help to replace it with a new moveable bridge that connects Old Saybrook and Old Lyme. The project, which is slated to begin construction in 2024, will allow trains to operate at higher speeds on the bridge, up to 70 mph.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, noted that the current bridge was deemed “structurally deficient” in 2006. For the past few years, Courtney and other lawmakers in the state’s delegation have pushed for increasing funding to help with repairing the bridge in his district.

“Today’s announcement of an additional $826 million federal grant ensures that the entire construction phase will be fully funded, and not delayed any more by incremental piecemeal grants,” Courtney said in a statement. “When this new bridge is finished, rail traffic will be safer and faster, for passengers on the Northeast Corridor-Acela Express, Northeast Regional, and Shoreline East, as well as freight traffic.”

The new grants will also help with bridge replacements in a few other areas of the state.

The WALK Bridge will get $465 million to replace the existing railroad bridge in Norwalk that is part of the Metro-North Railroad’s New Haven Line and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

The Devon Bridge, also known as the Washington Bridge, secured $245 million for its replacement project, as well as another $119 million for interim repairs until the rehabilitation begins. That bridge, which has gotten further financial commitments from the Federal Railroad Administration, carries thousands of people per day between the New Haven line and the Northeast Corridor.

And the Saugatuck River Bridge will also get $23.2 million for its replacement project of its moveable bridge in Westport. Those changes are expected to improve safety and also allow trains to operate at maximum authorized speed.

Connecticut’s rail grants will also help with various repair projects on the New Haven Line and Hartford Line.

A total of more than $213 million will go toward replacements of power equipment, project development of track improvements on some parts of the route and security infrastructure upgrades on the New Haven Line.

And the Hartford Line will secure nearly $105 million to expand three sections to double tracks to increase speed and passenger rail service for Connecticut and other states around New England.

“The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail line in the nation, and improvements here mean more jobs, continued economic growth, and improved quality of life,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. “Many of our railroad bridges are more than 100 years old, and this major investment of funding ensures that trains can operate with higher speeds and fewer disruptions well into the future.”

Daniel Drainville

The federal Department of Transportation on Monday awarded Amtrak the final funding it needed to replace the 116-year-old railroad bridge that carries trains over the Connecticut River between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook.

Construction is expected to begin in 2024 and take five years to complete. The project is estimated to cost $957 million and the existing bridge eventually will be demolished.

The $826.6 million award announced Monday is part of what President Joe Biden described in a tweet as the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak: A total of $16.4 billion for 25 passenger rail improvement projects along the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C., the busiest passenger rail corridor in the country.

It is one of nine projects that will upgrade railways in the state. The projects are funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said in a press release that the grant announced Monday would allow Amtrak to complete construction of the new bridge without stopping to acquire additional grants. He said he has been working with his colleagues to secure the funding since 2007.

The 1,570-foot-long Connecticut River Bridge, built in 1907, carries an average of 38 Amtrak trains, 12 Shore Line East and six Providence & Worcester freight trains a day. However, it has been subject to frequent delays due to rail and maritime traffic.

“This long overdue transformational grant for the Connecticut River Bridge comes after determination in 2006 that the bridge was ‘structurally deficient’ and repair work was no longer capable of keeping it functional,” Courtney said in the release.

In an interview Monday, Courtney said that aging bridges pose a greater risk for train operators, who have to slow down and be careful. The newer, more structurally sound bridge would allow for higher speeds, he said.

The new bridge will be built to the south of the existing one, and will improve the reliability of train service and increase the authorized speeds for trains from 45 to 70 mph, according to a February presentation from Amtrak.

Courtney said that when he unveiled the news to a crowd in Old Saybrook Sunday, the group had burst into applause.

“This has been talked about for so long that I think people had gotten skeptical of if we were ever going to see the day,” Courtney said.

He added that he was excited to be able to complete a project of this magnitude.

Courtney said once the new bridge is complete, train traffic will switch to the new bridge. He said it would be difficult to say yet whether construction would disrupt rail or maritime traffic during the five-year construction period, but that the goal is to minimize interruptions and finish construction as quickly as possible.

“Every time you can upgrade this aging infrastructure, it just means that the goal of high-speed rail gets closer and closer. And that will in my opinion stimulate more ridership. Because for a lot of people it’s quicker, or in their minds it’s quicker to get in their car and drive,” Courtney said.

“The extent that we can speed things up safely I think is going to make passenger rail much more attractive,” he added.

John Penney

New London ― Less than a week after a transport barge left State Pier carrying the first load of off-shore wind turbine parts to a point off the coast of Long Island for assembly, maintenance issues forced the ship’s return to New London with several undelivered components.

The U.S.-flagged vessel, bearing the name and logo of the Crowley maritime shipping line company, steered back into the city’s deep-water port on Sunday with the same three football field-long wind turbine blades it left with on Oct. 31.

That launch was celebrated by local officials and representatives of Eversource and its South Fork Wind project partner, the Danish wind company Ørsted.

Ørsted-Eversource partnership spokesman Justin May on Monday said while sections of a turbine tower and a multi-ton generating nacelle were successfully transferred to a South Fork Wind project assembly vessel about 35 miles east of Montauk Point, an issue with “lift equipment” on the barge prevented the offloading of the blades.

“The barge will return to the South Fork Wind offshore site after maintenance, and as weather allows, to continue with installation,” May said. “There are no issues with the blades.”

May could not say if the barge’s transfer equipment was checked before it left New London.

The barge, which left New London at approximately 8:30 p.m. last Tuesday, successfully rendezvoused hours later with the Aeolus, a Netherlands-flagged “jack-up” ship whose deck can be hoisted above the waves to take on the wind components, May said.

Before the maintenance issue arose, the delivery barge was slated to return to State Pier after spending roughly 40 hours unloading the turbine pieces. Once docked again in New London, the vessel was to take on another load of Siemens Gamesa wind turbine generators and start the delivery process all over again.

Eversource officials said a dozen such trips are required to deliver all 12 turbines for the 132-megawatt wind project which promises to deliver energy to 70,000 homes on Long Island.

The webpage for International Longshoremen's Association 1411, the union representing State Pier stevedores tasked with loading the turbine parts onto outgoing ships, listed the South Fork Wind delivery barge ― identified as a 455-series heavy-lift vessel ― as returning to New London on Sunday “with blades.”

“Don’t know what work schedule will be,” the union page stated and noted the UHL Flair, a heavy-load transport vessel like the Crowley-operated vessel, is tentatively scheduled to arrive in New London on Nov. 18.

Kayla Mutchler

WESTPORT — The two-weekend-long bridge slide project at Exit 17 between Westport and Norwalk is complete, and Gov. Ned Lamont says the bridge replacement it is just the beginning of the state’s efforts to decrease travel time on Interstate 95. 

“We’re just getting started,” Lamont said Monday near the newly completed project. “We’re putting about $1.4 billion to work. That’s about 40 percent more than we ever have for transportation.”

Lamont said refurbishing exit ramps takes a few minutes off commutes in each direction, in addition to improving safety. 

“You’re going to see a lot more transportation investments speeding up right now,” he said. 

State DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said the bridge slide project used accelerated bridge-building techniques and was completed ahead of schedule. The bridges carry I-95 over Sautaguck Ave. The old bridges were also demolished. 

Eucallito said it took about 85 total hours to complete the replacements. Over a few months, the new bridges were constructed adjacent to the highway. Then the old bridges were demolished and workers slid the 1.4 million-pound replacements into place over the course of two weekends. The northbound side was the first to be completed the weekend of Oct. 22, and the southbound was completed last weekend.

Work crews then sealed, paved and striped the road surfaces, and reopened the highway to traffic

“We’ll continue to use this innovative practice when and where we can to reduce traffic congestion and reduce construction times,” Eucalitto said. 

The first weekend’s slide was completed 14 hours ahead of schedule. Eucalitto said a conventional demolition and replacement project would have taken a year.

“If this hadn’t been done this way, it would’ve been a nightmare on our surface roads,” state Sen. Ceci Maher, D-Wilton said.

The work was part of an overall project using $105 million in federal funds to improve safety on the stretch of I-95 between Norwalk and Westport, including widening shoulders, installing new drainage systems and upgrading highway lights and reflectors. 

“It’s really important that this project is going to improve safety, protect our natural resources and make a difference for communities and the thousands of people who travel through the corridor every day,” Eucalitto said. 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also announced Monday, is expected to deliver $2 billion to Connecticut to continue to improve transportation across the state, Lamont said. 

He said that these funds would help shorten the commute from New Haven to New York on Metro-North railroad by about 20 to 25 minutes. 

Eucalitto said DOT has not decided what upcoming projects will use this type of bridge slide, but this type of replacement now has been completed in Bridgeport, Branford and Stamford, in addition to Westport-Norwalk.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Greenwich, said this project has been well-supported by the state delegation. He also voted in favor of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

“Getting stuff done right means exactly what has happened here over the course of the last couple of weeks,” he said. “The remarkable, almost miraculous technology that allowed these two bridges to be slid into place literally in a matter of hours really points to the future.”

He said infrastructure upgrades are one of the most important issues in Southwest Connecticut. 

“This is the answer,” he said. 

Senator Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said he watched the bridge being constructed over the weekend and called it and the speed at which it was done “impressive.”

Lamont said he recalled when the Mianus River Bridge collapsed about 40 years ago, and it took about three months to get a temporary bridge up and a few years to get it operational in both directions. 

“Look what you were able to do in two short weekends,” he said. 

Middletown voters to decide $13.5 million boathouse bond question Tuesday

Cassandra Day

MIDDLETOWN — When residents arrive at the polls on Election Day, they will be asked consider a $13.5 million bond expenditure to build a new boathouse at Harbor Park. 

Whether to authorize the measure — which would include the planning, design, construction, renovation, furnishing, and equipping of a new public facility and renovations to the existing John Smith Boathouse on Harbor Drive — is the only question on the ballot. 

Common Council members unanimously approved the measure in September.

A new boathouse, projected to have a 30-year life span, was constructed at the edge of the Connecticut River in 1978. It is used by the Middletown High School rowing team and the city-based Central Connecticut Rowing club, which offers classes in conjunction with the recreation department.

Many people turned out at the Aug. 30 Finance & Government Operations Commission meeting to support the referendum, during which advocates called the sport a "life-changing” for athletes.

Middletown’s crew program is part of the America Rows initiative, which works to increase opportunities in rowing for underrepresented youth, people with disabilities, and people of all ages, socioeconomic circumstances and fitness levels, according to its website.

To view Middletown’s election ballot, visit bit.ly/3s27vxo. For polling locations, navigate to middletownct.gov.

New phase of a $250M development in this CT city could get underway in weeks. What it would bring.

KENNETH R. GOSSELIN 

HARTFORD — A $250 million development of apartments around downtown Hartford’s minor league ballpark could finally bridge the divide of decades-old highway construction, now that a contentious court battle over who should build the new housing is no longer an obstacle.

A recent $10 million settlement clears the way for the next phase of the North Crossing, a massive, $250 million development of 1,000 apartments, parking garages and storefront space that is expected to unfold over the next five years.

Developer Randy Salvatore plans to start on a second phase in just a matter of weeks.

But how quickly North Crossing — major construction that will create a new block north of downtown — is fully developed may depend on balancing the need to convert increasingly vacant office space downtown into housing with new projects such as North Crossing and Bushnell South near the state Capitol. Both mixed-use developments are targeted for barren swaths of parking lots.

The legal agreement marked a welcome reversal from earlier this year, however. In May, a court ruling in a lawsuit by the former developers of Dunkin’ Park and the land around it, who were fired by the city from the job, appeared to push off any further development for years, if not indefinitely.

The creation of downtown housing has been given priority with nearly $200 million in public subsidies from the Capital Region Development Authority, mostly in low-cost loans, over the last decade. In and around downtown, more than 3,000 apartments have been added in the last decade, and hundreds more are in the pipeline.

The new apartments are becoming increasing integral to the economic well-being of downtown, with residents replacing office workers who are performing their jobs all or at least part of the week at home in the aftermath of the pandemic. The cultural shift is not only seen in Hartford, but in towns and cities across the country where workers for generations have been key to restaurants, shops and other small business thriving, if not surviving.

“The need for more housing has always been there, ever since the 1950s.” said Andrew Walsh, a former lecturer in urban history at Trinity College, specializing in Hartford’s economic development. “But now, it’s really urgent.”

‘Spark of hope and energy’

The first phase of North Crossing added 270 apartments across from the main entrance to the 6,100-seat ballpark and cost $50 million. Since the first leases were inked at “The Pennant” in 2022, the apartments in the amenity-rich complex have enjoyed high occupancy, currently at 95%.

Moving on to a second phase was stalled for nearly two years, but Salvatore says he remains optimistic about the Hartford market and that there will be demand for more apartments.

North Crossing’s second phase on so-called “Parcel B” would have 527 apartments, 4,300 square feet of storefront space and a 524-space parking garage at a cost of about $120 million.

The development would be split into two parts. The first to be worked on includes 227 apartments and the parking garage will cost $58 million, about $5 million higher because of the delay. The increase is attributed to high interest rates and material costs that have followed the pandemic. CRDA is expected to approve a $13.6 million, low-cost loan for the construction.

The first rentals are expected to be ready in 2025. Monthly rents would range from $1,750 for a 540-square-foot “Junior” one-bedroom unit to $2,700 for a 1,100-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment.

The second half of construction on Parcel B would include the balance of the apartments.

With construction at North Crossing now imminent, entrepreneurs who have taken a stake in storefronts within a short walking distance of the development see a coming new market of apartment tenants boosting their ventures and creating other small businesses.

“It brings an added spark of hope and energy,”  Elijah Hilliman, co-owner of Semilla Cafe + Studio on Main Street, a coffee shop a block north of the ballpark. “Building more provides more opportunity, and that’s huge for a city that has left a lot of opportunities for a very long time.”

Hilliman, who grew up in Hartford has watched the development for most of his life. His family owned La Paloma Sabanera coffee shop on Capitol Avenue in Hartford for years. Hilliman’s aim is similar at Semilla where coffee is at the center of the business, but with space to sell locally-made food and other items. Overall, the coffee shop, opened in 2021. is intended to be a space for gathering, a neighborhood living room.

Hilliman said he is impressed with the new storefront openings on nearby Pratt Street — restaurants and bars — that are partly funded by the city’s Hart Lift storefront revitalization grant program. They are building a new piece of what Hartford needs: the connections to become a walkable city.

A project like North Crossing be a major contributor, Hilliman said.

“And then we see where it goes from there,” Hilliman said.

Grocery store still a priority

Over the next decade, the area around the ballpark will likely see new construction well beyond North Crossing.

Salvatore, founder and chief executive of RMS Cos. of Stamford, said he still intends to purchase former, 13-acre Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus for a mixed-use redevelopment. He expects the acquisition to close in the next month or so.

Salvatore had turned his attention to redeveloping the RPI campus while North Crossing was stalled. Now, with the settlement, Salvatore said he has shifted back to Parcel B, but he is likely to start demolishing the buildings on the RPI campus soon after he acquires the property. Knocking down campus buildings — including an eight-story classroom tower — will require some time, Salvatore said.

“So we expect to get right into that, and then, at that point, we’ll evaluate where we go next or whether go simultaneously (with North Crossing),” Salvatore said.

The RPI campus could, in theory, accommodate another 1,200 apartments, but RMS also is considering other options, including spaces for nonprofit organizations. The number of apartments — and at what pace they are constructed — will be largely driven by leasing, Salvatore said.

Together, North Crossing and RPI could add 2,200 apartments over a decade, at a cost of $600 million, Salvatore said.

A grocery store at North Crossing is still a priority, as debate over city residents getting access to fresh, healthful foods continues to intensify in Hartford’s neighborhoods.

“So now we are going to resume those efforts,” Salvatore said. “And if we find a ready, willing and able supermarket operator, I can assure you that we are going to do everything we can do to try to make a deal with them.”

If that happens, Salvatore said, the store could be built at the same time on “Parcel A” which is near the Hartford public safety complex on High Street.

Hartford City Councilman Joshua Michtom says he was never a fan of building the ballpark in Hartford or city taxpayers having to foot $71 million to pay for it.

The 6,100-seat stadium, Michtom, of the Working Families Party, said, has not lived up to promises for boosting hotel bookings and business at local restaurants and bars.

But Michtom said he gave his support to the $10 million settlement because the city had already paid $6 million in legal fees over seven years to defend the lawsuit. With a new trial set for April of next year and potentially years of appeals, the legal fees could easily double.

“And in the meantime, we’re not developing any of that area, so we can’t increase our income at all,” Michtom said.

Property taxes from the mixed-use development around the ballpark were supposed to help pay for the stadium, Michtom said.

And the outcome of a new trial was never assured. The city was victorious in the first trial defending itself in a wrongful termination lawsuit by the former developers Centerplan and DoNo Hartford LLC, but lost in appeals that went up to the Connecticut Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ordered a new trial.

Even though he did not support the stadium, it “doesn’t mean that you should be stubborn about make good decisions going forward,” Michtom said. “Any lawsuit settlement seldom feels great because you’re sort of betting against abstract possibilities, trying to guess at the way things will go.”

The amazing work of transportation engineers

Jim Cameron | Columnist

As a young man I wanted to become a civil engineer and design the railroads of the future.  So I went to one of the nation’s best engineering schools, Lehigh University, only to find out in my freshman year that I’d need calculus, physics and chemistry.  So I ran quickly to the Arts College and studied sociology. 

Still, my admiration of the work of engineers in designing and running our transportation network has never diminished.  Here are a few recent examples:

The Connecticut Department of Transportation and ABC:

As we rebuild our crumbling interstate highways, the CDOT deserves credit for learning its ABCs… “accelerated bridge construction.”  Over two recent weekends they demolished and replaced two three-lane bridges at exit 17 in Westport with, considering the enormity of the tasks, minimal impact on traffic.

The speed of the work on the $104 million project was enhanced by building the replacement bridges in advance so they could literally slide into place after the old bridge was torn down.  Just imagine the planning, the measuring and tight tolerances.  Yet, the first weekend project (for the northbound bridge) was finished 14 hours earlier than planned.

A similar bridge replacement in Stamford on I-95 in 2019 went just as well, with more such projects to come as Federal dollars rebuild our infrastructure.

Metro-North vs. Mother Nature

The same weekend CDOT was doing its bridge work in Westport, Mother Nature was closing down rail operations on the Hudson line near Scarborough in Westchester County.  A giant landslide poured down the hill, depositing 600 cubic yards of soil and rock on top of the railroad tracks, affecting over a hundred Metro-North trains and dozens of Amtrak trains.

The landslide happened on a Saturday morning, but thanks to the MTA’s engineers and construction crews, 43 hours later the tracks were reopened in time for the Monday morning commute.

An impressive effort, and not the railroad’s first in battling Mother Nature… nor its last.  But again, engineering prowess came to the rescue.

Drones at sea

The Danish energy company Orsted was embroiled in a labor dispute at the State Pier in New London last week.  The International Longshoremen Assoc. (ILA) claims jurisdiction over loading and unloading the vessels there which are carrying the giant components for planned offshore wind farms.

However, thousands of miles away in the North Sea, Orsted is testing use of giant drones to deliver supplies to their offshore sites.  The four-engine drones have an eight-and-a-half-foot wingspan and can carry up to 150 pounds of cargo dangling below the craft.  Once carried out to sea over the construction site’s helipad, the drone releases its cargo and heads home.

More amazing engineering, this time with huge implications on jobs.  Drones require an operator but not a ship and expensive crew to complete their work.  If these trials work, that could mean massive cost savings for Orsted and fewer union jobs for seamen.

So, the next time you’re driving or taking a train, think of the engineering that went into that design.  There’s a lot of smart people working very hard behind the scenes to make your trip possible.

DOT reopens I-95 in Westport to traffic after replacing Saugatuck Avenue overpass

Jessica Bravo

WESTPORT — The southbound side of the Interstate 95 bridge over Saugatuck Avenue fully reopened to traffic Sunday after crews completed the second stage of repairs to the overpass, according to state officials. 

All lanes of the interstate were reopened by around 5 p.m., capping a weekend of construction that led to significant congestion along one of the state’s busiest corridors, according to Josh Morgan, a spokesperson for the state Department of Transportation. 

Construction workers began the process of demolishing the bridge Friday evening and spent Saturday installing a pre-built replacement. They worked continuously through Saturday night and into Sunday to ensure the interstate was ready for the Monday morning commute. 

The northbound side was replaced two weeks ago and crews had the project complete nearly 14 hours earlier than what officials originally predicted. At the time, Morgan said the project was completed faster than expected due to pre-building the bridge section and then sliding it into place.

Per the "ABC" — accelerated bridge construction — method, the replacement portions of the bridge already had been prepared parallel to the existing portions and then are slid into place after the existing portions are demolished.

Traffic issues associated with the project were expected over the course of the weekend as southbound traffic during the construction was moved into the northbound lanes, severely restricting traffic flow, officials said. 

By Sunday evening, there was still significant congestion along the stretch of I-95 between exits 12 and 17, the Merritt Parkway and along the advised detour routes, according to traffic data from CTroads.org. Officials, however, expected the traffic to dissipate now that work is done. 

On Saturday, Morgan said the construction crews seemed to be on schedule to complete the project by early Monday and they may be done ahead of schedule again.

"We’re really hoping that we can have a repeat of what we did two weeks ago when we were able to open up later in the afternoon on that Sunday," Morgan said. 

Past reporting by Staff Writers Katherine Lutge and Peter Yankowski contributed to this report.