Danco Bridge progress in good form
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — It’s full steam ahead on construction of the Danco Drive Bridge.
Last week, crews from NJR Construction LLC of Torrington, built forms for the “wing walls” that will channel the upstream water under the new bridge. This entailed support posts and braces, heavy plywood and massive rebar.
March 30, the main middle section of the “wings” was filled with concrete. The form for that section was removed March 31.
Next week the two outer wing wall section forms will be filled with concrete.
Once that is complete, the bridge surround will be backfilled and by then the asphalt facilities should be opened. The bridge will be paved and guard rails will be added. NJR hopes, if all stays on schedule, to have the bridge finished by the end of April.
Last year Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said the state had changed it rules years ago and left the inspection of any bridge shorter than 20 feet as a town’s responsibility. The new Danco Bridge will be 20 feet, 6 inches long.
The approximate cost for the bridge replacement is $2.6 million. Fifty percent of it is handled by the state and the other 50 percent is covered by the town. The grant was approved a couple years ago and the town had been adding to the capital projects budget to cover the town’s half.
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caption:
Left: Building the forms. Bottom left: "Rebar" extraordinaire. The middle section is covered because rain was forecast. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page.
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