Weight Limit Imposed On Westport Bridge Due To Deterioration: DOT

WESTPORT, CT — Town officials said they were notified late Monday by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) that as of Tuesday, March 20, only vehicles weighing less than 40,000 pounds (20 tons) or less will be permitted on the William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge over the Saugatuck River.

“Residents should be aware that this limitation does not impact a majority of the vehicles that cross the Cribari Bridge, including school buses," First Selectman Jim Marpe said in a release. "However, there are some emergency vehicles and town public works vehicles that surpass the weight limit, and will now require re-routing via the Post Road or I-95 to provide service to the west side of the Saugatuck River. I have conferred with Fire Chief Robert Yost, who assures me that public safety will not be compromised as a result of this re-routing. While there may be a slightly increased response time, it will remain within the Federal safety parameters for effective emergency management.”

According to the CTDOT notification, the decision to impose the restrictions was the result of the ongoing structural engineering evaluation and inspection of the load capacity of the 19th Century truss bridge.

Officials said the bridge has an overall rating of "poor." The weight restriction is mandated based on the structural deterioration of the pier piles and pile bracing structure.

CTDOT is evaluating measures to take in order to eliminate this restriction, and is also currently in the preliminary engineering study phase for the bridge to determine a scope of rehabilitation work required going forward, officials said.

Officials said the trusses are currently being reevaluated for load carrying capacity based on damage and corrosion documented in the latest bridge inspection report to determine whether more immediate repair is needed.

Truss repair, if required, could include the temporary closing of the bridge at some point in the future, officials said.

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