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- Category: Past Issues
caption, page 7:
'Tech' Bridge
This is a rendering done by CME of the bridge that would cross the Quinebaug River, opening up the Quinebaug Regional Tech Park. Rendering courtesy of CME.
Tech bridge
Working
through
the issues
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM --- The town is "working steadily" through several issues and hopes to have the bids for the construction of a bridge to the proposed Quinebaug Regional Technical Park ready by fall.
Town Administrator Douglas M Cutler said he hopes that in the next 30 to 60 days issues such as land ownership, archeological and environmental reviews, permits and right of ways will be resolved. By fall, the town might be ready to put the bridge project out for bids. That might mean construction might begin in the spring construction season.
Despite the status of bids, though, some land clearing might be possible in the fall.
CME is finalizing the design of the bridge, he said. The town already has in hand $2.97 million in state money for the design and construction of a two-lane bridge that would cross the Quinebaug River across from the southbound ramp of Exit 95 off I-395. The bridge would connect Kennedy Drive and the region with the proposed 220-plus acre Quinebaug Regional Tech Park.
Voters recently approved Putnam accepting the donation of 65 acres from Wheelabrator Putnam for the park. The town would then donate 15 of those acres to the Greater Hartford YMCA regional Y project. The town property would be combined with acreage owned by two other families, totaling more than 220 acres.
The town is working through finalizing that Wheelabrator donation, the Y donation and acquiring from the state a strip of land along the river needed for the bridge, Cutler said.