Bridge Heavily Damaged By Fiery Crash Reopens In Norwalk: Gov. Lamont

NORWALK, CT — Governor Ned Lamont announced Monday the Fairfield Avenue Bridge over Interstate 95 in Norwalk, which was heavily damaged by a fiery crash earlier this year, has reopened "ahead of schedule and under budget."

In a statement provided by his office, Lamont and Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said the new bridge was rebuilt within seven months, replacing the previous bridge damaged by a fiery crash involving a tanker truck carrying gasoline on May 3.

The crash caused massive traffic delays throughout the entire subsequent weekend all along I-95 and in many areas of Norwalk and its surrounding communities.

Due to the extensive damage, Lamont announced back in May the bridge needed to be demolished and replaced.

On Monday, Lamont and Eucalitto thanked the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Yonkers Contracting Company, several other state agencies and "a team of dedicated subcontractors from across Connecticut" for their quick and effective efforts replacing the bridge.

The reconstruction project was initially aimed for completion by the spring of 2025, however the new bridge has been fully restored and is now open to traffic as of this week due to the "around-the-clock collaboration and hard work of construction crews," Lamont and Eucalitto said.

See also:

• Bridge Damaged By Fuel Truck Crash On I-95 To Be Replaced: Gov. Lamont
• Gov. Lamont, Local Officials Give New Update On I-95 Bridge Replacement, Traffic
• Norwalk Road To Close Due To Walk Bridge Project Construction Work
• New Bridge Over I-95 In Norwalk To Be Finished By Spring: Report
• Concrete Deck Installed At Norwalk's Fairfield Avenue Bridge: Report

Lamont and Eucalitto also noted the total cost of the project was lower than initially anticipated; originally projected to cost roughly $20 million, the overall bridge replacement and demolition was completed for $16.8 million.

"Today marks a significant milestone for the Norwalk community and the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on this critical highway," Lamont said in a statement. "This is a great example of what can be accomplished when government, contractors, and local leaders work together with a sense of urgency and purpose. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and our partnering contractors, we’ve been able to reopen the Fairfield Avenue Bridge ahead of schedule, under budget, and with a more modern design that will better serve the community for years to come."

The new bridge, spanning approximately 170 feet in length over I-95, maintains sidewalks on both sides and reduces the width of the vehicle travel lanes to better accommodate bicyclists.

"I'm incredibly proud of the exceptional teamwork and dedication of the Connecticut Department of Transportation and construction crews to expedite this project and reopen the bridge months ahead of schedule," Eucalitto said in a statement. "Every partner on this project overperformed the ambitious deadlines we set in May. This is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates what we can get done for the traveling public when federal, state, and local partners share a common purpose."

Lamont declared a state of emergency immediately after the crash back in May and sought the support of federal emergency relief funds.

In the following days, the Federal Highway Administration released $3 million in "quick release" emergency relief funds for CTDOT to help cover demolition and repair costs.

The federal government is expected to cover 80 percent of the costs for the entire project, according to Lamont's office.

A timelapse video filmed between July and November of crews building the new bridge can be viewed here.