Connecticut State Council on Environmental Quality

Replacement of Bridge No. 03993 - West Street

1. Notice of Scoping for Replacement of Bridge No. 03993 - West Street over Providence & Worcester Railroad

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Middletown, Connecticut

Address of Possible Project Location: West Street (between Middlefield Street and Butternut Street) over Providence & Worcester Railroad 

Project Description: The bridge is structurally deficient due to the poor condition of the superstructure and the bridge is functionally obsolete due to inadequate bridge deck width, vertical under-clearance, horizontal under-clearance, and approach roadway alignment. 

The bridge carries one lane of traffic, and is controlled with an alternating one-way traffic pattern with stop signs at both approaches to the bridge.  The existing curb-to-curb width of the bridge is 17 feet, and the estimated 2014 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) on West Street at this site is 4,260 vehicles per day.

The proposed bridge replacement will result in approximately 800-feet of roadway re-construction.  The existing vertical under-clearance of 18-feet 1-inch over the railroad at the bridge will be maintained in the proposed condition.  The bridge replacement will consist of a new precast concrete deck unit superstructure supported by new concrete abutments, concrete in-line wingwalls, and mechanically stabilized earth walls.  The foundation system of the bridge and walls will be constructed to facilitate undercutting (lowering) of the railroad if the tracks are lowered to provide 20-feet 6-inches of under-clearance at the bridge as part of a separate project in the future. 

The proposed lane configuration of West Street consists of two 14-foot travel lanes with a 5-foot sidewalk along the east side of the road. At the bridge, the roadway will narrow to 11.75 foot travel lanes to accommodate for a 10-foot wide sidewalk/multi-use path on the eastern side of the bridge.  A 5-foot wide sidewalk will be continued north of the bridge and connect to the sidewalk terminus at the intersection of Route 157 and Route 66.  A 5-foot wide sidewalk will also extend from the proposed bridge to the existing sidewalk terminus located south of the bridge.   
During construction, West Street will be closed at the bridge and traffic will be detoured via Route 157 to Wadsworth Street.  Route 157 is a two-lane road and has an estimated 2012 Average Daily Traffic of 1,900 vehicles.  Wadsworth Street is a two-lane road.

Project Map:  Click here to view a map and aerial photograph of the project area.

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  Friday February 19, 2016.

Any person can ask the sponsoring agency to hold a Public Scoping Meeting by sending such a request to the address below.  If a meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a Public Scoping Meeting.  Such requests must be made by Friday January 29, 2016.

Written comments and/or requests for a Public Scoping Meeting should be sent to:

Name: Mr. Mark W. Alexander, Transportation Assistant Planning Director
Agency:
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Address:
Bureau of Policy and Planning
2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
Fax: 860-594-3028
E-Mail:

If you have questions about the scoping for this project, contact:

Name: Mr. Louis D. Bacho, Transportation Supervising Engineer
Agency:
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Bureau of Engineering and Construction
Address:
2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131
Phone: 860-594-3212
E-Mail: Louis.bacho@ct.gov