Gold Star Memorial Bridge Construction Begins August 26

By Jaimie Cura

Construction work on the northbound Gold Star Memorial Bridge in New London and Groton will begin on Tuesday, August 26.

The project consists of bearing replacements at two piers of the structure, according to the state Department of Transportation. The bearing replacement work will be staged to minimize lane closures, which will consist of a shoulder and two through lanes on I-95 N.B.

Daytime lane closures will occur from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting on August 26 and running intermittently through November 30.

The contract was awarded on March 6 to Cianbro Corporation of Bloomfield at at an estimated cost of $4 million and is scheduled to be completed in December 2014, according to the state DOT.

What are bridge bearings?

Bridge bearings come in different varieties, but typically connect bridge piers to the superstructure and deck (driving surface that vehicles travel on) of the bridge, the state DOT explained in a press release. In the case of the Gold Star, the bridge piers are concrete.

The purpose of bridge bearings is to allow for the normal movement of the structure, for example, as a result of thermal expansion and contraction.

Photo Credit: Marion Doss, via flickr creative commons