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Westport's North Avenue Bridge Closing For Two Months

WESTPORT, Conn. -- Repair work will close a bridge over the Merritt Parkway in Westport for about two months this summer, the state Department of Transportation said this week.

Repair work on the North Avenue Bridge will shut the Merritt Parkway span in Westport from Monday, June 20, to at least Thursday, Aug. 25, state DOT officials said.

Repair work on the North Avenue Bridge will shut the Merritt Parkway span in Westport from Monday, June 20, to at least Thursday, Aug. 25, state DOT officials said.

Photo Credit: Jay Polansky

The North Avenue Bridge will be completely shut down from Monday, June 20, to at least Thursday, Aug. 25, the DOT said.

The project itself, started in early 2015, hits some snags due to “unforeseen engineering problems and safety concerns,” the DOT said,.

Work stopped over the winter and bridge use was limited to alternating, single-lane traffic.

The DOT added that the project should be competed by September.

Westport officials said they hoped the bridge would be fully open by the time school re-opens in late August.

First Selectman Jim Marpe, calling for cooperation and patience on the part of motorists and local residents, said he was “disappointed” that the span had to be fully closed for the summer.

The town’s “first priority” is safety and “expediency is important as well,” Marpe said.

While the bridge project is the state DOT’s responsibility, he added, the town and its Department of Public Works has worked to expedite repairs and to minimize the impact on residents and local traffic patterns.

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