The Fairfield Avenue Bridge in Norwalk has reopened Monday after undergoing months of construction following a fiery crash on Interstate 95 back in May.
In May, the state Dept. of Transportation was estimating it would take up to a year to get the bridge replaced, but it has been closer to seven months.
It was initially closed in May after a car sideswiped a tractor-trailer and a fuel truck, causing the fuel truck to catch on fire. It burned under the bridge and damaged the structural integrity.
Initially, crews focused on tearing the concrete and beams down so they could repave and reopen I-95.
Traffic was a nightmare with people waiting hours to drive the local roads around town with the detours in place. Construction crews completed that initial work in a matter of days and reopened I-95. Then the rebuilding process started.
DOT officials initially estimated the total project would cost $20 million and said the federal government was expected to pay 80 percent of that. State officials said the overall bridge replacement and demolition ended up being completed for $16.8 million.
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The new bridge is now open to traffic. It spans approximately 170 feet in length over I-95, has sidewalks on both sides and reduces the width of the vehicle travel lanes to better accommodate bicyclists, the state said.
