The design for a new Walk Bridge in Norwalk to replace the current 1896 bridge is progressing and remains on schedule, state officials said recently.
The swing-arm bridge failed to close twice in 2014, disrupting travel on the New Haven Line of the Metro-North Railroad, the nation”™s busiest commuter line.
Bridge designers have been developing plans for the replacement bridge, preparing the necessary permits and conducting interim repairs. Those repairs to keep the old bridge functioning are now said to be complete.
Construction on an entirely new bridge is expected to begin in 2016 and be completed in 2020.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and state Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker announced the progress in a joint statement.
The bridge, which carries four tracks over the Norwalk River, opens and closes for marine traffic below.
“For decades, there was no action on this bridge,” Malloy said in the statement. “Now, we are taking action, making smart choices today to ensure a best-in-class transportation system tomorrow.”
Malloy termed the bridge “an enormous project” and credited Metro-North and the state DOT for keeping it on track.
The new Walk Bridge will be “state-of-the-art” and feature “twin bascule bridges” that will enhance the safety and reliability of commuter and intercity passenger rail service as well as the reliability for many waterway users, the statement said. Bascule bridges are alternately referred to as moveable bridges or drawbridges.
Redeker said that completing the design and the ultimate replacement of the Walk Bridge is “very important for the continued success of the New Haven Line and Northeast Corridor that carries almost 40 million riders each year.”
In November 2014, the state Bond Commission approved more than $53 million for the state DOT to begin work to replace the bridge. The state bond money will be supplemented by a $161 million federal grant awarded to the state DOT last September under the Sandy Resiliency Project program for states most affected by Superstorm Sandy.
Repairs on the old structure have included modifications to the assemblies that lift the rail clear to allow the bridge to swing and installation of electronic switches that prevent the gears from over-rotating, which was the cause of the failures last year, according to Redeker. The work was done in combination with a project already underway to replace rails and ties on the bridge.
The U.S. Coast Guard, which oversees the operation of the bridge for maritime traffic, has issued new guidelines for the opening of the bridge for boats on the Norwalk River, effective this year. Under the rules, the bridge may not be opened during peak train hours, which are Monday through Friday, from 4:30 to 10 a.m. and from 2 to 9 p.m. Four hours”™ notice is required before the bridge will be opened from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., and two hours”™ notice is required from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m.
