The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave contingent approval to construction of a temporary bridge at Smith Road last month, but the town cannot proceed until another agency signs off on the plans. That would be Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

After several trees came down on Old Goshen Road during a period of sustained high winds, First Selectman Matt Riiska told DEEP that a decision needed to be made right away. “This is a matter of safety for the people who live there. Let’s move on.”

As Norfolk Now went to press, that approval had yet to arrive. The temporary bridge must also be approved by the town’s Inland Wetlands Agency. 

Riiska said he has been working with Cardinal Engineering to make sure every question or issue is addressed a quickly as possible. Reports totaling more than 200 pages have been filed with the two agencies that address a myriad of environmental and historical issues. 

The bridges at Old Goshen Road and Smith Road washed out during flooding that occurred in July 2023. The state will pay for their permanent replacement, but that is several years away, and the town is responsible for the temporary structure.