The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will conduct a virtual public information meeting concerning the Replacement of the Route 16 Bridge over the Salmon River on October 5, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. 

The virtual public information meeting is being held to provide the public and local community the opportunity to offer comments or ask questions regarding the proposed project. The meeting will take place on Zoom, and registration is required. A question and answer (Q&A) session will immediately follow the presentation, which will be recorded. For instructions on accessing the meeting, providing comments, and asking questions, please visit http://portal.ct.gov/DOTHebron66-110. 

“Bridge No. 00853, originally constructed in 1932, has exceeded its design life. This project will replace the bridge with a new structure in accordance with CTDOT and FHWA design standards,” said Project Manager Francisco Fadul. “We encourage the community to attend this meeting to share their feedback with the CTDOT project team. Public input is essential during our design process.”

The purpose of the project is to address the structural deficiencies of State Bridge No. 00853, which carries Route 16 over the Salmon River in East Hampton, and will provide a structure that accommodates safe travel for all facility users. The replacement bridge will be a steel plate girder structure with integral abutments. The proposed bridge will be a single span structure and have a span length of 150 feet, eliminating the center pier. It also includes a widening of the roadway to provide a 32-foot curb-to-curb width.

There are right-of-way impacts associated with the proposed improvements. These impacts include temporary construction easements on each side of the bridge.

Construction is anticipated to begin spring 2026 based on the availability of funding, acquisition of rights of way, and approval of permit(s). The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $10 million. This project is anticipated to be undertaken with 100% percent state funds during the construction phase.

Individuals with limited internet access can listen to the meeting by calling (877) 853-5257 and enter Meeting ID 868 7811 6111. Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Persons with limited internet access may also request that project information be mailed to them within one week by contacting Brianna Ritacco at Brianna.Ritacco@ct.gov or (860) 594-3205.

Language assistance may be requested by contacting the CTDOT Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109. Requests should be made at least five business days prior to the meeting. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

This meeting will also be livestreamed on the CTDOT YouTube channel; no registration is required. Non-English language closed captioning will be available on Zoom and YouTube. The recording will also be posted immediately following the meeting in the list of CTDOT virtual public meetings at portal.ct.gov/ctdotVPIMarchive.

Members of the public can submit comments and questions during the two-week public comment period following the meeting. Please submit comments and questions by October 19, 2023, to DOTProject41-121@ct.gov, (860) 594-2020, or Francisco Fadul, Transportation Supervising Engineer, at Francisco.Fadul@ct.gov or (860) 594-2078. Please reference State Project No. 0041-0121 in the email or voicemail.