Major Upgrades Begin At Five Windsor Bridges

WINDSOR, CT — Work is underway on five pedestrian bridges across Windsor, with construction expected to close portions of two trails for several weeks.

Crews were scheduled to work on the Custer Park and Stroh Park bridges Monday and Tuesday, according to the town’s construction update. Minor restoration work at both locations is expected during the week of Oct. 19.

Work on the Wilson Park bridge is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, followed by minor restoration next week.

The longer projects involve the River Center Trail and Sharshon Park bridges.

Work on the River Center Trail bridge was scheduled to begin this week and take approximately four to six weeks. The bridge will remain closed during construction.

The Sharshon Park project will begin after the River Center Trail work is completed. That bridge will remain closed for an estimated three to four weeks.

The Town Council unanimously approved $820,000 for the project in March.

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The project calls for full replacements at Custer Park, Stroh Park and Wilson Gateway Park. The existing concrete supports at all three locations remain in good condition and will be reused.

The replacement bridges will be built with steel structures expected to last more than 50 years, according to the town.

The River Center Trail bridge, located off Mechanic Street, and the Sharshon Park bridge behind the community center at 330 Windsor Ave. will be repaired rather than replaced. Work includes repairs to the steel structures, railings and decking.

Town officials expect those repairs to extend the life of both bridges by about 15 years.

Windsor owns and maintains 18 pedestrian bridges. Many are at least 25 years old, prompting the town to commission inspections and develop a multiyear plan for repairs and replacements.

Structural problems previously forced the town to close bridges at Custer Park, Wilson Gateway Park and the Mill Brook Open Space. The Mill Brook bridge is not part of the five-bridge project now underway.

The $820,000 budget includes $670,000 for construction, $67,000 for testing and inspection, $67,000 for unexpected expenses and $16,000 in borrowing costs.

The town authorized up to $660,000 in borrowing and committed another $160,000 from its unassigned fund balance. Based on a 15-year term and a 5 percent interest rate, officials estimated the borrowing would cost an average of $61,133 per year.

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