Bridge Over Brook On Busy Road In Somers Set to Re-Open Friday

SOMERS, CT — After six months of construction, detours and house-rattling machinery, the Turnpike Road bridge over Gillettes Brook is finally set to re-open, according to an engineer from the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

The DOT closed Turnpike Road on June 2 to begin a culvert replacement project near the junction of the road with Battle Street and Mountain Road. The $1.788 million contract had been awarded to Enfield-based Spazzarini Construction Co. in late October 2019.

According to the DOT, "the project consists of replacing the existing metal pipe culvert with a three-sided rigid frame structure on pile supported footings. Concrete wingwalls will be installed to direct flow and retain roadway embankment. The roadway will be widened to accommodate two, 12-foot wide lanes and two 4-foot shoulders. Bituminous curbing and metal beam rail with end treatments will be installed along both sides of roadway. Roadway over the rigid frame will undergo full depth reconstruction with milling and overlay of the approaches."

Motorists have been detoured away from the construction site since work began. The original completion date established by the DOT was Nov. 10, but the project ran a month longer.

Vicki Pistolesi, a transportation engineer with the DOT Bureau of Engineering and Construction, said the opening of the refurbished structure is slated for noon Friday.

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