Norwalk, Conn.'s Fairfield Avenue overpass on I-95, damaged by fire, reopened early and $3.2M under budget. Politicians and local officials praised the collaborative effort in rebuilding the vital infrastructure. The project was completed swiftly with careful planning and is expected to be reimbursed by the federal government.
Wed December 04, 2024 - Northeast Edition CT Insider
Exactly seven months after a fiery blaze consumed the Fairfield Avenue overpass spanning Interstate 95 in Norwalk, Conn., the bridge reopened to traffic Dec. 2 in roughly half the expected time and millions of dollars under budget, CT Insider reported.
Gov. Ned Lamont (D), U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District and Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) officials along with a slew of Norwalk's local representatives to cut the ribbon on the brand-new overpass, all lauding the collaborative effort of the state, local and federal governments.
"I think [Norwalk Mayor] Harry Rilling knows how to get stuff done," Lamont said during the ceremony.
The Fairfield Avenue overpass was rendered unusable last May and demolished in less than 80 hours after a collision involving a tractor-trailer, a tanker and a passenger vehicle on the interstate ignited a fire that fully engulfed the tanker under the bridge. The accident caused a traffic nightmare and closed that section of the freeway for days.
At the press conference celebrating the new overpass's early completion, CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said the project was initially budgeted at $20 million, but with the rebuild completed five months early will likely come in $3.2 million under budget at $16.8 million after all final calculations are made.
Yonkers Contracting Co., from Yonkers, N.Y., along with several Connecticut agencies and a team of dedicated subcontractors from across the state, were responsible for the quick and effective building effort.
Officials said the fire and speedy demolition of the bridge, which shuttered I-95 and diverted traffic along Norwalk's city streets, and the rapid installation of its replacement were crucial for the more than 100,000 motorists that drive underneath the Fairfield Avenue overpass each day.
The project was paid for by 2024 state bond funds, Eucalitto said, but the state expects the federal government to reimburse about 90 percent of Connecticut's expenses.
Swift, But Careful Construction Got Job Done Early
Crews from Yonkers Contracting worked expeditiously in seven months: the bridge plans were completed in June, the prime contractor worked through the summer as travelers bore through traffic via closed shoulders, and the bridge's concrete deck was poured around the beginning of October.
Josh Morgan, a CTDOT spokesperson, noted that before the new bridge's deck was poured, crews laid "every utility line you could think of," including water, optic fiber, gas and electric lines in the last two weeks of September.
The project's rush was clearly needed, though, CT Insider noted.
Morgan told the statewide news source that crews were working to beat the upcoming winter weather, which likely would have delayed the construction timeline.
Eucalitto added that overtime work contributed to the quick rebuilding effort, although he did not have an estimate of hours or cost when asked by CT Insider.
Rilling said the rapid completion was "an absolute miracle," but Lamont and Himes said the fast-paced project must become the standard in Connecticut and the country.
In his comments, Himes noted that the state suffers from high energy costs and expensive housing — both of which can be solved with quickly-built infrastructure modeled after the Fairfield Avenue bridge rebuilding project's careful work.
That can be done, firstly, by "speeding up the regulatory approval process," he said, and supporting the workforce network of engineers and laborers who get projects to the finish line.
"We need more of the people who build these things," Himes added.
Lamont agreed and said that prompt permitting also is crucial.
"Don't lower standards, but speed up the decision-making," the governor noted.
The new 170-ft. Fairfield Avenue overpass across I-95 was built to federal standards, features wider shoulders that can accommodate bicycle traffic, and has Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant and accessible sidewalks on both sides, Eucalitto explained, noting that the bridge is in the same footprint as the old one and is structurally the same.
He added that there was not much that CTDOT could have done to completely fireproof the old or the new bridge.
"You can't really fireproof [for] 8,500 gallons of gasoline," the commissioner said, referring to the volumetric load of the tanker that was engulfed in flames beneath the overpass. "Hopefully, they will not crash underneath our bridge again with 8,500 gallons of fuel."
