Connecticut River Bridge | |
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%2c_May_2014.JPG) The bridge with its draw span open in May 2014 | |
| Coordinates | 41°18′39″N72°20′57″W / 41.3108°N 72.3492°W /41.3108; -72.3492 |
| Carries | Two railroad tracks withoverhead lines (Northeast Corridor) |
| Crosses | Connecticut River |
| Locale | Old Saybrook andOld Lyme, Connecticut |
| Owner | Amtrak |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Baltimore truss bridge with abascule span |
| Material | Steel |
| Total length | 1,659.6 feet (505.8 m)[1] |
| Longest span | 161 feet (49 m)[1] |
| No. of spans | 9 fixed + 1 bascule[1] |
| Clearance below | 18 feet (5.5 m) (closed) 68 feet (21 m) (open)[2] |
| History | |
| Designer | Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company, Chicago[1] |
| Construction end | 1907 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 58 daily trains:[2] 38Amtrak intercity trains 14Shore Line East commuter trains 6P&W freight trains |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Connecticut River Bridge | |
TheConnecticut River Bridge is a railroad bridge that carries theNortheast Corridor over theConnecticut River betweenOld Saybrook andOld Lyme, Connecticut. It is the southernmost crossing of the river before it reachesLong Island Sound; it is just south of theRaymond E. Baldwin Bridge that carriesInterstate 95. The bridge is atruss bridge with abascule span, allowing boat traffic to pass through. The bridge is owned byAmtrak; it is used by AmtrakNortheast Regional andAcela intercity trains,Shore Line East local trains, andProvidence and Worcester Railroad freight trains. A $1.3 billion replacement bridge began construction in 2024 with completion scheduled for 2031.
The bridge was built in 1907 by the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company of Chicago for theNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. It replaced an earlier bridge, which was built in 1870 and rebuilt on the same piers in 1889.[3][4] The old single-track bridge was no longer able to handle the train frequency and weights that the New Haven wished to run. Construction of the new bridge began in May 1905, and the substructure was completed in April 1906. The bridge was built with two-track spans, with the abutments long enough for a second set of spans should quadruple-tracking of the line take place.[5] The new bridge opened on August 6, 1907.[3]
The bridge underwent a structural rehabilitation in 1976, and had mechanical and electrical rehabilitation in 1981 and 1997. In 2000 the bridge experienced a major electrical failure which rendered the drawspan stuck in the open position (blocking railroad traffic).[1] The bridge became stuck in the closed position twice in 2001.[6] A 2006 inspection found the bridge to be structurally deficient and determined that periodic rehabilitation work was no longer sufficient to keep the century-old bridge functional.[2] The bridge was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, but it was not finally listed due to owner objection.[7][8]
The structurally deficient bridge is planned for replacement. An Environmental Assessment released in May 2014 identified two preferred alternatives: abascule bridge similar in size to the existing span, or avertical lift bridge with possibly increased clearances. Either option would be built on a parallel alignment just south of the existing bridge. Fully high-level designs without movable sections were eliminated from consideration due to the massive approaches that would have to be built, which would have major impacts on nearby wetlands and increase construction and land acquisition costs.[2] Construction staging plans were released in April 2020. Those plans call for a replacement bascule bridge 52 feet (16 m) south of the existing span, with clearance in the closed position increased from 18 feet (5.5 m) to 24 feet (7.3 m).[9] Operating speed will increase from 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) over the existing bridge to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) over the new bridge.[10]
Amtrak and CTDOT were awarded $65.2 million in federal funds for the replacement in October 2020.[11] By October 2022, Amtrak planned to begin the procurement process in early 2023 and award the construction contract later that year. Construction was to begin in early 2024.[12] In mid-2023, Amtrak applied for a federal grant to replace the bridge.[13] Amtrak was awarded $827 million inInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in November 2023. Amtrak will contribute an additional $148 million, while the state of Connecticut will provide $58 million.[10][14] Amtrak awarded the construction contract to a joint venture of O&G andTutor Perini in June 2024. Total project cost is expected to be $1.3 billion.[15] Construction began in September 2024, with completion expected in 2031.[16]
Media related toConnecticut River Bridge (Northeast Corridor) at Wikimedia Commons
Crossings of theConnecticut River | ||||
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