Jesup Road Bridge replacement moves ahead in Westport
Historic flooding on Sept. 13 caused significant structural damage to the Jesup Road Bridge, leading to its permanent closure.
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Nearly a month after severe flooding damaged the Jesup Road Bridge, Westport officials are have moved forward with the process of replacing a structure that has become far more noticeable since it closed.
The bridge, built in 1952, served as a popular shortcut through downtown to avoid the Post Road. Since the Sept. 13 storm forced its closure, drivers have dealt with backups.
"Although many people didn't even realize this was a bridge here, it is realized now," Public Works director Larry Roberts said. "They recognize the fact that everything takes a little bit longer to get around downtown Westport."
The storm dumped 7.3 inches of rain in less than four hours, according to Roberts, sending water over the banks of Deadman's Brook and causing significant damage to the bridge's supports. Officials determined the bridge was unsafe for both vehicles and pedestrians.
"On both sides of the bridge, the abutment failed due to the velocity of the water and the bridge now is basically just suspending itself by virtue of its poured concrete surface, so it's very dangerous," Roberts told News 12.
The bridge's location near police and EMS headquarters has made the closure more than just a commuter inconvenience.
"There are other ways around, but it does add about one minute of response time if they're responding to the southwest portion of the town," Roberts stated, noting there it's not a significant impact.
"We're certainly monitoring traffic patterns, we're evaluating alternatives to help alleviate the burden," First Selectman Kevin Christie said.
Roberts told News 12 one idea has to do with Bay Street, which is one-way from the Post Road to Jesup. He said they're researching turning it one-way in the opposite direction.
At the same time, town officials have expedited the process of replacing the bridge, which can't just be repaired.
On Wednesday night, the Board of Finance unanimously approved a $172,500 appropriation for engineering and permitting work. The proposal is set to be voted on at a special Representative Town Meeting Thursday night.
Last week, Public Works issued a Request for Proposals for engineering and design services for the replacement bridge, including surveys, hydraulic analysis, environmental review, design, permitting and bid support. Proposals are due Oct. 28.
Officials are also pursuing state and federal funding opportunities to help offset the cost of construction, which is currently estimated at about $3 million.
"We're focused on restoring the bridge and doing it as fiscally responsible as possible while certainly planning for the future, both in terms of community needs and resiliency," Christie said.
Simply rebuilding the existing structure would be cheaper but wouldn't make sense. Instead the replacement will be designed to better withstand major storms.
"We want to make the span a little bit wider, the bridge a little bit taller to handle more water being able to go underneath," Roberts said, adding that design will remain consistent with the character of the surrounding historic district. "We're going to make sure the new bridge has an aesthetic that will fit well within this area and for the town of Westport."
"We look forward to working through the process and there will be many opportunities for public input along the way," said Christie.
