Cook Avenue Detour Starts March 19

Starting next Monday, March 19, part of Cook Avenue will be closed to thru traffic, as a state project to replace the Rte. 71 Cook Ave. Bridge gets underway, according to the Conn. Department of Transportation.

Cook Avenue from Summer Street to Meridian Street will be completely closed off until roughly November 2012, according to Meriden's Associate Engineer Howard Weissberg. Traffic from Cook will be rerouted to nearby Hanover Street, Hanover Avenue and Hanover Road, via signs posted on nearby streets. A PDF attached to this article also shows the route.

Those who live and work on Cook Ave. will still be given access to reach their homes and businesses, according to the CT DOT, and a temporary bridge about 100 feet to the east is being bulit for pedestrians and bicyclists while the Cook Ave. bridge is being reconstructed.

The $2.2 million project is part of a city and state effort to stanch flooding in downtown Meriden. Officials say the current Cook Ave Bridge, which rises over Harbor Brook, is too small, causing a backup of water in the area in heavy rains. The project will replace the bridge with three box culverts, which will allow the water to flow through.

According to the CT DOT, Dayton Construction Company of Watertown, Conn. is in charge of the project.

Detour signs for the project have been in place for a few weeks now on Hanover, covered by burlap – causing some residents to wonder what is underneath. The coverings will be removed on Monday.