First Selectman Matt Riiska predicted this week that construction of a temporary bridge at Smith Road could start in two or three weeks if his plan to replace a washed-out span is not delayed by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
He told the Board of Finance Tuesday that he is working with the Department of Transportation to prioritize permanent replacement of the Old Goshen Road bridge over the one at Smith Road. A temporary structure can then be constructed on Smith Road to bring relief to South Norfolk residents. Both bridges were swept away by a flash flood in July 2023.
Because both bridges are federal bridges, the state has assumed all costs for the permanent replacements but there is a long lag time before construction. “Permitting won’t be complete until early next summer. It won’t go out to bid until late summer and won’t start until spring of 2026,” Riiska said, adding that the state will not participate in creating a temporary span.
He conferred with a local contractor and Public Works foreman Troy Lamere and concluded that the town can build a temporary bridge for between $55,000 and $65,000. To pay for it, he would delay some scheduled projects to cover $15,000 for culvert pipes, and tap $47,000 in state LoCIP [Local Capital Improvement Program] funding.
The cost for the permanent replacement of the Smith Road bridge has risen from $2.4 million to $4 million.
Costs for other bridges have increased as well. Between a redesign and increased construction costs, the price for replacing the River Place bridge has skyrocketed from about $3 million to $4,105,980. The town’s portion was to have been $600,600 and would now be $821,000. “The good news is that the DOT will pick up 100 percent of the overage,” Riiska said. The town took out a loan for its portion of the work in 2022 and may face increased interest rates now, however.
Finally, he told finance members he hopes to recoup $752,827 in remediation costs for Maple Avenue following a massive gas spill in November 2022. He is working with the town’s attorneys to submit bills to the insurance company representing the trucking firm responsible for the spill. “I believe we will get a pretty good portion of it, but I don’t know when,” he said.
Board of Finance Chairman Michael Sconyers praised the temporary bridge solution.