Connecticut River Bridge renovations break ground

OLD LYME, Conn. (WTNH) — A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday at Ferry Landing State Park in Old Lyme for the renovations on the Connecticut River Bridge.

Over the years, it’s been stuck open or closed, and it has delayed passenger rail and marine traffic.

“We work from each end of the bridge first to prepare the site and then get into the water and start the construction,” Stephen Gardner, CEO of Amtrak, said.

He, along with state and federal officials, said the replacement of the Connecticut River Bridge has been a long time coming.

“That train was slowing down as it was going across that bridge for precisely the reasons for safety,” Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn) said.

Right now, trains are restricted to 45 miles per hour because of the bridge’s condition.

The bridge first opened in 1907, and through the years it’s been stuck open, delaying train service and stuck closed blocking bigger boats. Replacing the bridge can’t come soon enough for some.

“I think infrastructure is an important investment and if it helps Amtrak be on time a lot of people around here would appreciate that catching their trains to Boston and New York,” Alyssa Storm of Old Lyme said.

The $1.3 billion project is paid in large part by a federal and state partnership, using bipartisan infrastructure law funds, is expected to take three for four years to complete.

The new bridge will be 8 feet higher, so it won’t have to open as often, and it will be safer so trains won’t have to slow down to cross the Connecticut River.

“It will be 55% faster on this bridge going 70 miles an hour,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) said.

“We have known here in Connecticut for a very long time that this bridge was and would continue to be a liability that would hurt the growth of our state,” Sen. Chris Murphy, (D-Conn) said.

Construction crews cannot wait to get to work.

“We’re gonna have up to 300 folks working on this bridge at the peak period,” Gardner said.

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