The Mayflower Street Bridge over I-84 in West Hartford has been under reconstruction since March, but work has been temporarily suspended.

Construction on the Mayflower Street Bridge has been temporarily suspended. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Rehabilitation of the Mayflower Street Bridge – also known as the Joseph Lenihan Memorial Bridge – over I-84 began in March, and the project that was scheduled to be completed by December 2016 will now last until well into 2017 according to the Town of West Hartford’s Engineering Department.

West Hartford civil engineer Greg Sommer said that unexpected delays experienced by the Department of Transportation related to fabrication of steel beams has resulted in a temporary stoppage of construction. Demolition of the west side of the bridge has been completed, but work has been at a standstill for about a month since the steel beams are required for the next phase of the project.

Sommer said that representatives from West Hartford will be meeting with the state later this week and should receive an update about when the beams will be ready.

“We expect work to resume in August, but this [delay] will push the project out until next summer,” Summer said.

The bridge, which is located at the transition between Webster Hill Boulevard and Mayflower Street, is a popular route to and from the Elmwood neighborhood. It has been narrowed to just one lane since early spring, with a temporary traffic control signal controlling alternating one-way traffic.

Sommer said that the west side of the bridge should reopen by late fall, but the bridge will remain open to one-way traffic only. Work on the east side will be dependent on the weather and will likely not resume until after the winter. The grade of the bridge is being raised, so even if work is not being done over the winter it won’t be possible to have both lanes open, Sommer said.

Boswell Road at Webster Hill Boulevard and the northern intersection of Elmhurst Street and Mayflower Street will remain closed until the bridge has completely reopened.

Sommer said that the alternating traffic arrangement has been working well, and he does not expect any problems.

New England Infrastructure is the contractor for the project, which is estimated to cost $6.28 million and is being funded by the state.

Details and ongoing construction updates can be found on the Town of West Hartford’s website under the Engineering Department.

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