The entrance from Burton Highway to Stagecoach Road in Wilton will remain blocked this summer, while crews replace the deteriorating bridge at the roadway head.
Katie Welch, a structural engineer with Hoyle, Tanner and Associates for the bridge replacement, said Wednesday the former bridge had deteriorated to the point it had been placed on the state’s Red List, a list of bridges with certain restrictions on their use.
“It was ready to be replaced,” Welch said.
The total cost of the replacement is estimated to be $750,000, with about $600,000 coming from the state’s bridge aid program, and the remaining 20 percent approved during the 2020 Town Meeting to come from the town’s bridge capital reserves.
Work began on the bridge on Monday, and by Wednesday, the former bridge had been removed. The timber decking has been claimed by a resident to turn into benches to donate to the town.
The new bridge will be a pre-cast arch. While the entrance to Stagecoach Road is expected to be closed throughout the summer, the delivery of the bridge is also expected to create a short-term closure of one lane of Burton Highway while it is installed. Welch said that closure should only last a day, but motorists should be aware of potential delays while traveling in the area.
A detour for Stagecoach Road has been set up through Burton Highway and Davisville Road to access Stagecoach Road. The detour is about 1.2 miles.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 of asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.