Dart Hill Bridge Detour In Vernon Looks Different This Time Around

VERNON, CT — This time around, the detour involving the Dart Hill Road Bridge in Vernon looks a little different.

The reconstruction of the bridge over the Hockanum River resumed on March 20 and the work required another closure, which began Monday and is scheduled to last until May 8. Town officials gave about a month's notice.

The latest traffic pattern has Thrall Road closed to all but resident vehicles. A police car is stationed at the Thrall Road-Worcester Road intersection and vehicles are being directed onto Worcester, which eventually loops back to Dart Hill Road.

Like before, cars trying to get to Sinner Road and the South Windsor side of Dart Hill Road must go through the five-corners rotary.

The bridge project has been under way since the spring of 2022 and was scheduled to be completed in the fall, but delays termed by officials as "out of the town's control" are "causing the work this spring."

Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne in December ordered that the bridge be opened for the holidays with the understanding that the project would be completed in the warmer months.

"The project contractor, Neri Construction, has done fine work on the project and worked hard to overcome the delays forced on it by third parties," town officials said then. That "third party" was previously identified as Eversource Energy and the town went as far as to erect a sign blaming the utility for a prolonged closure.

In mid-December, the road was a little bumpy, but cars in Vernon were able to use the bridge.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation administered federal funds to fix the aging span totaling $1,333,200 under the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program. Vernon's cost-share was about $400,000.

The original hope was to have the bridge worked on all last summer and open in time for the start of the 2022-23 school year. With eight bus routes using the bridge as well as thousands of residents on an almost daily basis, it was deemed a priority. Delays pushed the opening to November and then it was pushed to Dec. 15.

Town officials blamed most of the delays on a new natural gas line from Eversource Energy. A temporary pipe was run over the river though the woods and a was being replaced by a larger capacity permanent pipe at the bridge.

Traffic is lighter than usual this week with schools being off for spring break.