Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the estimated cost of the bridge replacement project.

By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT – Replacement of Cross Highway’s bridge over Deadman Brook, part of the town’s reconstruction project of the accident-prone road, has been endorsed by the Conservation Commission.

The project, which faces an “8-24” municipal land-use review by the Planning and Zoning Commission next week, was approved unanimously Wednesday by the conservation panel. It was backed by the Flood and Erosion Control Board earlier in the month.

The span is the centerpiece of a larger traffic-safety project already underway, an area where there have been “a whole lot of accidents,” Keith Wilberg, town engineer with the Department of Public Works, told the commission.

During the initial approval process for the Cross Highway project, officials reported there have been more than 20 motor vehicle accidents between the North Avenue and Bayberry Lane intersections in the past three years. 

The new bridge would allow pedestrians to cross on a sidewalk, instead of using an edge of the travel lanes as they now must.

The existing bridge, which is only 25 feet wide, does not allow for construction of a sidewalk. The option of putting in a separate pedestrian bridge had been explored, Wilberg said, but officials decided it made “more sense” to replace the existing bridge.

The span, constructed in 1930, has been rated as “substandard” by the state Department of Transportation and has less than a 15-year lifespan remaining, Wilberg said.

The new bridge is slated to be constructed in summer of 2025, with a semi-accelerated schedule to be completed before school opens. The bridge is close to four town schools and athletic fields. Summer construction would also take advantage of lower flow rates Deadman Brook, Wilberg said. The brook would be maintained at a bypass during construction.

The first part of the project would be to replace the 10-foot-wide culvert that channels the brook with another culvert that is twice as wide. That would ensure there would be no overflow onto the roadway in a big storm, Wilberg said. 

The town also plans to plant shrubs, trees and grasses in the area, he said. 

The Conservation Department supports the project, noting the new bridge will allow a safe way for people to walk and enjoy natural resources. The DOT also considered the local wildlife population by maintaining the depth of flow of the brook to allow for fish to pass.

The larger traffic project includes constructing new sidewalks throughout the area, new crosswalks at every street intersecting with Cross Highway, accessibility ramps, drainage improvements and installation of guardrails.

Cost of the bridge replacement project is estimated at about $2 million. 

Kerri Williams is a freelance writer who has worked in journalism for years, including as a reporter for the Norwalk Hour and managing editor of the Norwalk Citizen-News.