Bridges Planned For Flood-Damaged Oxford Trail

OXFORD, CT — Two 120-foot pedestrian bridges are planned to replace Larkin State Bridle Trail crossings destroyed during the August 2024 flood.

The bridges would be built at Eightmile Brook near Pope Road and an unnamed tributary of the Little River near Christian Street, according to a newly posted project presentation.

The Pope Road crossing was a stone arch built about 145 years ago. Portions of the structure remain, but engineers described them as being in “tenuous condition.”

The replacement bridge would span 120 feet, largely because the floodplain in that area is between 75 and 87 feet wide. Rebuilding the trail embankment is expected to require about 7,700 cubic yards of fill.

Near Christian Street, the flood washed out a culvert that was roughly 4 feet wide, 6 feet tall and 170 feet long. The resulting gap is nearly 100 feet wide, with fallen trees and other debris still in the area.

A second 120-foot bridge is proposed there. Engineers said the larger span is needed to cross the floodway, accommodate major storms and avoid the need for a federal flood-map revision. That section is expected to require about 11,000 cubic yards of fill.

The new crossings are being designed to pass a 100-year flood with one foot of clearance, along with a 500-year flood. Trail grades would be limited to 12 percent, and railings or fencing would be installed around drop-offs.

The trail surface would be rebuilt with processed gravel and stone dust to match the existing path.

Patch previously reported that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and SLR Consulting were developing repairs for four damaged crossings in Oxford and Southbury.

Between 12 and 15 inches of rain fell across parts of Oxford, Southbury and Newtown during the Aug. 18, 2024, storm. The presentation described the flooding in some areas as approaching a 1,000-year event.

Four trail crossings were overwhelmed and at least two sections of embankment were damaged.

Permit applications are expected to be submitted in November. Final design plans and permits are scheduled for completion in March 2027, followed by construction bidding in April.

The current schedule places construction between June 2027 and May 2028. The presentation does not include an estimated project cost or a firm reopening date.

The Larkin State Bridle Trail stretches 10.3 miles through Oxford, Southbury, Middlebury and Naugatuck.

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