Three Bridges Over I-84 To Be Replaced Starting In 2028
- Philip Thibodeau
- 5 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A team of representatives from the engineering consultancy HNTB attended last Wednesday’s meeting of the Public Works Committee in order to preview the State DOT’s plans for replacing three bridges that cross Interstate 84 on the west side of town – the Jude Lane bridge, the West Street bridge, and the Curtiss Street bridge.
Projects Manager Stephen Heizman and his team briefly described the inadequacies of the old bridges, which were all constructed in 1963 and are now 63 years old. They also sketched out the improved features of the new ones, and the project’s schedule.
The Jude Lane bridge, which is officially known as the State Trooper First Class Aaron M. Pelletier Memorial Bridge, was last rehabilitated in 1994. Its deck or driving surface is rated ‘good’, its superstructure ‘fair’, and its substructure, ‘satisfactory’. The new bridge will resemble the old one but feature an improved sight line that will make it safer for drivers exiting the nearby parking lot of Chris Cote’s Golf Shop.
During construction the bridge will remain open but with one-lane alternating traffic, as the structure gets replaced one lane at a time. The signs which designate it as the Pelletier Memorial Bridge will be preserved and attached to the new structure. A 6” Eversource gas main running under the bridge will also be replaced.
The Curtiss Street bridge is in the worst condition of the three, with its three components receiving grades of ‘poor’, ‘fair,’ and ‘satisfactory’. The new bridge is expected to have a minimal lifetime of 75 years and feature improved drainage. A 12” water main connected to the bridge will also be replaced.
The large West Street bridge, which was last rehabbed in 1990, is currently rated ‘fair’, ‘fair,’ and ‘fair’ in the three categories. It poses the greatest engineering challenge, given the length of the span, its width – four lanes – and the number of cars and trucks that traverse it every day.
The new bridge for West Street will resemble the old one but with the addition of sidewalks and a widening of the intersection with Hart Street. According to the presentation, four lanes of travel will be kept open throughout the period of construction, but the exact plan for doing so has yet to be decided.
Project Schedule and Budget
An RFP or Request for Proposal will be issued by the state in February of 2027. Three proposals for implementing the project will be evaluated by a DOT committee that will score them based on three criteria: quality, price, and technical approach. This approach, which is called Design-Build, is designed to reward the proposal that provides the best value rather than the lowest cost. The winner will then be awarded a contract in November of that year.
In the winter and spring of 2027/28, the design will be finalized and the site readied for construction. Actual construction is expected to start in the summer of 2028. No timeline was given for completion of the individual bridges, but the target date for completion of the entire project is spring of 2031, which means a construction period of nearly three years.
The cost of construction is expected to range anywhere from $60 to $90 million. Federal funds will cover 80% of the cost, while state funds will cover the remaining 20%.
