Ashford Road bridge project slated for 2027

Traffic to be detoured for months during bridge reconstruction

EASTFORD — The bridge over Bigelow Brook on Ashford Road has stood firm since 1937. In 2027, 90 years after it first was constructed, it will finally be replaced.

At a meeting on Tuesday, July 16, The CT Department of Transportation (CT DOT) held an informational meeting for the public, detailing the upcoming project that will give a much-needed update to a bridge that has far outlived its service life.

According to CT DOT Supervising Engineer and Project Manager Marc Byrnes, funding for the $4.41-million, “Design Managed by State” (DMS) project will come from the Federal Local Bridge Program, and will be paid for with a combination of both federal (80 percent) and state (20 percent) funds. There will be no cost to the town. Spending will cover both the construction, planning, and development and execution of rights of way. The design portion, Byrnes said, will be “in full partnership and coordination with the town.”

He added that the DMS program is designed to provide “a streamlined approach to design,” using full CT DOT resources to aid the towns to keep their bridges in a “state of good repair” by effective use of funds, decreasing typical design time, and utilizing accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques to shorten construction duration while increasing the number of municipal projects delivered to construction each year.

During the meeting, Byrnes introduced his fellow members of the Project Team, which includes: Bart Sweeney, PE, Division Chief of Bridges for CT DOT; Derick Lessard, PE, Principal Engineer for CT DOT; Michelle Rame, PE, Project Engineer for CT DOT; Kathleen Ericson, Right-of-Way Property Agent, CT DOT; Anand Seshadri, PE, CLE Team CHA; and Stephany Dubina, CLE Team CHA.

According to Dubina, the 27-foot, 7-inch-long Ashford Road bridge, which is designated as “Bridge No. 04645” by CT DOT, is in need of replacement. Bridges in Connecticut are inspected biennially (once every two years), and are given a rating of 1 (imminent failure) to 9 (excellent) in several categories, which include the deck, approach, superstructure, substructure and channel/channel protection. Ratings in these categories vary, ranging from 7 at the highest to 4 at the lowest. The bridge’s railing (5) and guide rail (5) currently do not meet safety standards. Dubina said the bridge is “scour critical.” According to the U.S. Geological Survey, bridge scour is “the process of erosion that occurs when fast-moving water removes sediment from around a bridge's abutments or piers.” Dubina said the Ashford Road bridge’s existing footings are “undermined and missing sections,” is hydraulicly inadequate, and that the substructure is rated “poor.” However, despite the deficiencies, the bridge is considered “safe” by CT DOT, even though it has persisted long past its 75-year service life.

According to CT DOT’s website on the upcoming project, the proposed 58-foot, 6-inch-long structure “will be comprised of prestressed concrete deck units with a cast-in-place topping slab supported by concrete abutments and flared wingwalls with foundations bearing on bedrock and support a 24[-foot] wide roadway meeting standards. The proposed structure with a 52[-foot]-wide hydraulic opening and the roadway raised by 1 [foot] will eliminate roadway overtopping and provide under-clearance during the 100-year design storm resulting in improved hydraulic adequacy. The project includes installation of new bridge and approach rail system meeting current safety standards and elimination of scour critical condition. Approximately 385 [feet] of roadway reconstruction is proposed including roadway drainage improvements.”

The new bridge, Dubina said, will have a 75-year service life with minimal maintenance, will feature no weight restrictions, and due to the flared wingwalls being on bedrock, it should eliminate all scour concerns. New aesthetic improvements will also be included, including a liner on the concrete that will simulate stones, as well as a metallic bridge rail.

Because the current bridge is also part of the Natchaug Trail, minor adjustments to the trail are also planned to accommodate for the construction of the bridge, including crosswalks for pedestrians.

Once the project begins in spring 2027, Ashford Road will be closed in both directions for approximately eight months. A detour is currently planned that for drivers on the south side of Bigelow Brook, will mean heading south on Ashford Road and Floeting Road, turning left onto North Road, then left on Route 44, then left on Route 198 to access the center of town. The detour is measured at 8.5 miles.

Right-of-way impacts associated with the proposed project include partial permanent takes (4 properties), a drainage right-of-way (3 properties), permanent slope easements (4 properties), and a temporary construction easement (1 property), along with rights to install gravel pull-offs, relocate a trail, removing and resetting stone walls, installing sediment control systems, and reconstructing a driveway.

Video of the July 16 meeting may be viewed here. Project plans may be viewed here. The project’s official CT DOT website can be viewed here.