Date: Fri 26-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

bypass-Mile-Hill-Road

Full Text:

Mile Hill Road To Close Next Weekend

First Selectman Bob Cascella announced Thursday that the bridge on Mile Hill

Road over the Pootatuck River at Fairfield Hills will be closed to all traffic

beginning at 6 pm on Friday, October 3. The road will remain closed probably

until 6 am Monday, October 6, or until work is completed on installing a

temporary bridge.

Mr Cascella explained that the closing is necessary because workmen who are

digging new footings at the site of the existing bridge have determined that

the bridge could become unstable.

The first selectman met Thursday morning with representatives of the state

Department of Transportation; the contractor, Dayton Construction Company,

Inc, of Watertown; Police Chief James Lysaght; and other town officials to

discuss the problem and the options.

"It was decided that a temporary bridge is the best option," Mr Cascella said.

"The contractor will supply the bridge and the DOT will pay for it."

Police officers will be stationed at each side of the closed bridge for

traffic control while the work is being done, he said.

"All emergency personnel will be notified about the road closing," Mr Cascella

said.

The first selectman said there are contingency plans for re-routing school

buses. He acknowledged, however, that there could be an "enormous impact on

bus schedules and commuter traffic" if the work isn't completed by 6 am on

Monday.

If it rains, the work may have to be postponed until the following weekend, he

said. In that case, the bridge would close at 6 pm Friday, October 10.

Replacement of the existing bridge with a wider bridge is part of the $3.2

million project to build a 3,700-foot bypass road through Fairfield Hills from

Route 25 to Exit 11 of I-84.