The town has received approval from both the DEEP and the Army Corps of Engineers to build a temporary bridge at Smith Road and Route 272 in South Norfolk. The old bridge was washed away in a flash flood in July 2023 and a permanent replacement is not expected to be even begun until 2026 or 2027.
A second bridge on Old Goshen Road was also swept away.
The loss of the bridge has not only inconvenienced families living in the area, who must make a long detour to reach Route 272, but caused them concerns about safety. They have lobbied for a temporary bridge, citing those concerns.
First Selectman Matt Riiska said he will meet with the contractor and engineer Tuesday to go over a construction schedule. Depending on the contractor’s availability, he hopes the work can by early June.
He has sent a letter to the Department of Transportation asking, now that a temporary connection can be made for Smith Road, that it focus on a permanent replacement for the Old Goshen Road bridge. “If we put in a temporary bridge on Smith Road and they decide to rip it out to build a permanent bridge, it would be a waste of time,” he said. “We have to work together.”