By Bob Bumcrot

Due to construction delays and fish-protection regulations, the traffic lights and one-lane road on the new bridge over Norfolk Brook on Greenwoods Road West will remain well into the summer of next year.

“There are two types of Department of Environmental Protection permits for work of this kind,” said Department of Transportation Supervisor Cliff Jones at a November 6 meeting with local officials. “A general permit allows contact with the water from July 1 through September 30, with some work allowed in June. A site-specific permit also allows contact two months before and one month after these dates. Unfortunately, we have a general permit.”

Last May, DOT workers and prime contractor Black and Warner were confident that the in-water work would be completed before the DEP deadline and that both lanes could be open by Thanksgiving, or at least before the first major snowfall. But heavy water flow earlier in the season contributed to unanticipated delays. “You’d be surprised how much water came through here,” said Eugene Warner a few months ago. “We had three three-inch pumps working.”

Fry and fingerling brown trout.

Much of the in-water work has been completed. What remains are the installation of precast cement box culverts and construction of one wing wall in the northwest quadrant of the structure. The north (westbound) lane can then be paved and opened while the south lane is completed. “We should be able to do the in-water work and paving in June,” said DOT Project Engineer Ali Farzan. “The rest of the work will take about four weeks. So we hope to remove the lights and open the complete bridge around the first of August.” Meanwhile, work will be carried out on the barriers along Ashpotag Road to improve access to snowplows, in response to a concern expressed at the meeting by First Selectman Susan Dyer.
The reason for the DEP regulations is that fish spawn and grow in small streams such as Norfolk Brook during the fall and winter. In early November, fingerlings were visible in the rushing water. “Oh yes,” said DOT Chief Inspector Mike Richardson. “A few weeks ago one of the contractors caught seventy tiny ones in a cutoff milk carton and moved them safely upstream.”

Photo courtesy of Ed Machowski.