Bridge work
underway again
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
POMFRET — After weeks of waiting for the repair of the culvert beneath the Needles Eye Road bridge, work resumed and workers are hoping for the bridge to be open in three or four weeks.
First Selectman Maureen Nicholson said the culvert under the sinkhole that opened up in July had to be lined.
While they waited for the culvert work, crews shored up the dam wall and a cutout in that concrete wall will redirect water to the fixed culvert. A headwall surrounds the culvert, channeling the water through the culvert.
The culvert was recently lined in place, allowing workers to proceed with creating a concrete “floor” between the cutout in the concrete wall and the culvert. The sides are also concreted — and all of that directs the water to the culvert.
The stone bridge walls will be made higher and will be stabilized with concrete.
The only challenge remaining is that more exploration is needed between the road surface/sinkhole level and what’s below, toward the culvert. Nicholson said “we have to explore under the road — see how much erosion has taken place.”
Years ago, a crack developed in the culvert and the sand between the culvert and the road surface flowed through the crack and into the formerly flowing water, leaving a void that resulted in the sinkhole in the road’s surface in July.

caption, page 2:
The concrete work is designed to send water into the refurbished culvert under the Needles Eye Road bridge. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

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The view from the top. The culvert runs under the bridge. Linda Lemmon photo.

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