The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will conduct public information meetings concerning the replacement of Bridge No. 05029 carrying Poverty Road over Pomperaug River in Southbury on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. at Sarah Cooke Hall at Heritage Village Center, 11 Heritage Way in Southbury, and 7 p.m. at Southbury Town Hall, Room 205 at 501 Main Street South in Southbury. Both meeting facilities are ADA accessible with ample parking available.
The public information meetings are being held to provide the public and local community the opportunity to offer comments and ask questions regarding the proposed project. Question and answer (Q&A) sessions will immediately follow the presentations, which will be recorded. For additional information, please visit https://portal.ct.gov/DOTSouthbury130-192.
“This project will replace a narrow, functionally obsolete 57-year-old bridge with a longer, wider single-span bridge and sidewalk for safer motorist and pedestrian crossing,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Project Manager Marc Byrnes. “We encourage the public to attend these meetings to share their feedback with the CTDOT project team to incorporate into the design.”
The purpose of the project is to replace the Poverty Road Bridge over Pomperaug River with a longer, wider single-span bridge. The project is necessary because the existing structure built in 1967 is functionally obsolete—its narrow width restricts vehicular traffic crossing the bridge to a stop sign-controlled alternating one-way operation. The proposed replacement bridge will provide for two vehicular traffic lanes (one lane each direction) and a wider sidewalk, thereby eliminating the alternating one-way traffic restriction and improving safety for both motorists and pedestrians.
There are right-of-way impacts associated with the proposed improvements. Temporary construction easements for channel access, excavation, grading, and reconstruction of private driveways adjacent to the bridge are envisioned. Minor partial takes are also anticipated.
Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2026 based on the availability of funding, acquisition of rights of way, and approval of permit(s). The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $6.605 million. This project is anticipated to be undertaken with a minimum 80% federal funds and up to 20% state matching funds.
Individuals with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Language assistance may be requested by contacting the CTDOT Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109. Requests should be made at least five business days prior to the meetings. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.
The meetings will be recorded, and the recordings will be available immediately following the meetings on CTDOT’s YouTube Virtual Public Information Meeting playlist: https://portal.ct.gov/ctdotvpimarchive.
Members of the public can submit comments and questions during the two-week public comment period following the meetings. Please submit comments and questions by May 8, 2024, to DOT-FLBP@ct.gov, or Andrew Shields at Andrew.Shields@ct.gov or (860) 594-2077. Please reference State Project No. 0130-0192 in the email or voicemail.