Local Bridge Program
In Connecticut, there are approximately 4,200 bridges and culverts on municipally maintained roads. Construction and maintenance of these structures is the responsibility of the cities and towns who own them. Recognizing the difficulty that municipalities have in meeting this responsibility, the General Assembly created the Local Bridge Program in 1984 as part of the State’s Infrastructure Renewal Program. This program provides for State grants to municipalities for the removal, replacement, reconstruction or rehabilitation of local bridges. For more details of the program, please refer to the Local Bridge Program Manual and guides below. The Manual contain information explaining how bridges are rated, an overview of funding programs, an outline of the typical project's progress, environmental permit guidance, guidelines for obtaining funding, and a summary of laws related to municipal bridges. Older versions are provided on a separate page for reference on projects initiated in prior fiscal years.
Federal funding is provided on an annual basis to the Department to provide financial assistance to the municipality for the replacement or rehabilitation of structures that meet the funding criteria listed in the Local Bridge Program Manual.
FUNDING APPLICATION WINDOW NEWS
The Funding Application Window for STATE Local Bridge Program FY 2024 is CLOSED. The application window for FY 2025 will open in the Spring of 2024.
Applications need to include Sufficiency Rating, Priority Rating, and must include an Inspection Report stamped by a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Connecticut. If these items are not included, the application will not be considered for funding.
Applications for FEDERAL Local Bridge Program funding may be submitted at any time.
PROGRAM NEWS
Legislation which includes set-aside requirement for Municipal Public Works Contracts, which affects State Local Bridge Program projects advertised for construction on or after October 1, 2015.
The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) has been tasked with overseeing and regulating compliance with the respective Small Business and Minority Business Enterprises (SBE and MBE) set-aside requirement. However, the burden of compliance and reporting will fall on the contractor.
The municipality’s role is to follow CHRO’s guidance in terms of specific language that must be incorporated into bid solicitation and contract award documents.
For information and documents regarding this legislation and compliance procedures, please contact CHRO’s Contract Compliance and Affirmative Action Unit by calling (860) 541-3434 or by visiting webpage www.ct.gov/chro.
FHWA Video Library! The FHWA has a resource called Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies. This resource puts key information about Federal-aid requirements on a single Web site at www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials. Local agencies now have a centralized hub for guidance, policies, procedures, and best practices for administering Federal-aid projects. The Web site’s main feature is a library of videos covering key aspects of the project development and delivery process.
Note to Consulting Engineers working on Local Bridge Program Projects: All contact with CTDOT support units, such as, but not limited to, Environmental Planning and Hydraulics & Drainage, must be made through the CDOT LBP Project Engineer. Failure to follow this procedure will result in lost documents and delays!
OFFICE CONTACTS
Program Manager: Marc P. Byrnes, P.E., Transportation Supervising Engineer
Program Mailing address: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, P.O. Box 317546, Newington, CT 06131-7546
Requests for additional information should be addressed to:
State Local Bridge Program (Primary contact):
Andrew C. Shields, E.I.T.
Project Engineer
Federal Local Bridge Program:
James R. Barrows II, P.E.
Project Engineer
Michelle M. Rame
Project Engineer
For general inquiries, questions and comments pertaining to the Federal Local Bridge Program, please email DOT-FLBP@ct.gov
IMPORTANT PROGRAM LINKS
Local Bridge Program Manual (September 2023)
Draft 2013 Local Bridge Program Regulations (PDF, 57.3 KB. To be used until an approved version is published)
Current and Historical Local Bridge Program Legislation (PDF, 383 KB, rev. 2/27/15)
NEW Eligible Bridge List (rev. 3/14/23)
Master Municipal Bridge List (rev. 3/1/22. Complete list of known bridges owned or maintained by cities and towns)
Past Local Bridge Program Manuals
Documents, Forms and Reference Materials (APPLICATION FORMS, standard forms and guidance documents)
Reference Series: Locally Administered Transportation Projects in Connecticut
Please note that CTDOT personnel are not allowed to discuss particular projects with consulting engineers until a designer has been selected for that project. To preserve the integrity of the bidding process, engineer's detailed cost estimates are not available to the public until a project is completed. Please contact the appropriate town for more information on a project.
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