Connecticut will receive $3 million in federal funding to help repair a bridge on Interstate 95 in Norwalk that was destroyed by a tanker fire and closed down the highway for a few days.
The emergency relief funds will be immediately available for use by the Connecticut Department of Transportation to go toward rebuilding the Fairfield Avenue Bridge, which was demolished over the weekend. I-95 fully reopened in both directions by Sunday, a day earlier than officials initially predicted.
In the aftermath of the fire, Gov. Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency. Connecticut’s congressional delegation wrote to the U.S. Department of Transportation, urging expedited funds to assist in repairing damages by the fire and reconstructing the bridge. They wrote that reopening I-95 is “extremely critical to flow the vehicular and truck traffic through New England.”
Through DOT’s Federal Highway Administration, Connecticut will get a “quick release” of funding through the Emergency Relief Program. That program provides initial funds to states to repair highways and bridges that were damaged by natural disasters and catastrophic events. The state can expect future installments of federal funding to assist with needed repairs.
“I-95 is a critical highway — for both the people of Connecticut and our nation’s transportation network — and the Biden-Harris Administration focused immediately on helping Gov. Lamont quickly restore travel,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “These emergency funds helped Connecticut DOT safely repair and reopen the road in less than 80 hours and can now help with costs associated with rebuilding the bridge.”
Following the demolition of the bridge and the reopened highway, Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto gave an update on Monday from Norwalk.
The officials said they did not have an exact timeline for when the bridge would be rebuilt but could be done within a year. They also noted that there would be some lane closures but that they “won’t be as disruptive as what we just encountered,” according to The Hartford Courant.
The Connecticut Mirror/Connecticut Public Radio federal policy reporter position is made possible, in part, by funding from the Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation.
This story was originally published by the Connecticut Mirror.
