After due diligence on the part of the Town of Enfield and the much-appreciated patience of the residents of South River Street, the bridge is now being reopened to traffic.
Town Manager Christopher Bromson informs residents of the great news, stating, “This Friday afternoon the South River Street Bridge reopens! This is a culmination of Town Government working together to solve problems and the continued patience of our residents. The Town of Enfield once again proves that we deliver on our promises.”
A safety inspection of the bridge done in the Spring of 2018 found that its condition had deteriorated to a dangerous degree, leading to its immediate closure. The Town Council acted to quickly appropriate $100,000 to address the emergency.
Public Works Director Donald Nunes says, “A follow up inspection has been done by the State of Connecticut, and it has been determined that the temporary repairs are sufficient to keep the bridge open until the replacement project is underway.”
The Department of Public Works acted swiftly. Beginning in early October, an aggressive three- week construction schedule timeline to repair the bridge was implemented by Hammonasset Construction.
Funds are in place for complete replacement of the bridge in 2021.