New Canaan Receives State Grant For Bridge Replacement

NEW CANAAN, CT — Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto announced Thursday the state is providing $16.8 million in state grants to 11 towns and cities, including New Canaan, to support the reconstruction of 13 bridges on locally owned roads.

According to a news release provided by Lamont's office, this state-funded program is awarded under the latest round of the State Local Bridge Program, administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and operates as a cost-matching grant that provides municipalities with 50 percent of the project costs necessary for the reconstruction of municipal bridges.

Cities and towns are required to administer all design and construction aspects of their projects and CTDOT oversees project milestones and provides guidance to the municipalities, according to the release.

The release notes New Canaan is set to receive $1,142,750 for the replacement of a bridge over an unnamed stream on Lakeview Avenue.

"Whether it's kids going to school, people heading to work, or traveling to visit friends and family, every community depends on bridges that are safe and built to last," Lamont said in a news release. "This grant program provides significant relief to our towns and cities, helping them tackle costly infrastructure projects they couldn’t take on alone."

According to the release, grants awarded under this latest round of the program include:

• Burlington: Replace Bridge #020003, Alto Road over unnamed brook ($636,750)
• Fairfield: Replace Bridge #050020, Old Field Road over Pine Creek ($2,985,089)
• Harwinton: Replace Bridge #065005, Gale Road over unnamed stream ($600,750)
• Harwinton: Replace Bridge #065011, Birch Hill Road over Pickett Brook ($600,750)
• New Canaan: Replace Bridge #089025, Lakeview Avenue over unnamed stream ($1,142,750)
• New Milford: Rehabilitate Bridge #05312, Boardman Road over Housatonic River ($2,656,875)
• Southbury: Replace Bridge #130010, New Road over Spruce Brook ($535,000)
• Stamford: Rehabilitate Bridge #04065, West Broad Street over Rippowam River ($3,731,250)
• Stonington: Replace Bridge #137009, Collins Road over Cattle Path ($770,000)
• Suffield: Replace Bridge #139006, Hickory Road over Fourmile Brook ($778,179)
• Suffield: Replace Bridge #139009, Copper Hill Road over unnamed stream ($841,929)
• West Hartford: Replace Bridge #155014, Old Brook Road over Mountain Farms Brook ($978,075)
• Winchester: Replace Bridge #162008, Newfield Road over Fox Brook ($612,500)

"By partnering with our cities and towns, we are helping move these projects from planning to construction while making travel safer and more reliable for everyone," Eucalitto said in a news release. "Thank you to Governor Lamont and General Assembly for continuing to provide funding for this important state grant program."

The Connecticut General Assembly established the State Local Bridge Program in 1984 under the state's Infrastructure Renewal Program.

Connecticut has about 4,200 local bridges and culverts on municipally maintained roads. Because these structures are the responsibility of the towns and cities that own them, the State Local Bridge Program offers significant financial relief for their construction and upkeep, according to the release.

Since 2016, approximately $180 million in grants have been awarded to Connecticut cities and towns through the program, according to the release.

More information about the State Local Bridge Program is available here.