Manresa Island Public Information
Public Meeting Details
Virtual Public Meeting
June 16, 2020
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) hosted an Online Public Meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2020, to discuss the potential use of a portion of Manresa Island in Norwalk as part of the Walk Bridge Replacement Project. The online presentation began at 6:30 PM. This meeting was held to afford an opportunity for public participation and open discussion of views and comments the community may have regarding the proposed use of Manresa Island as a construction staging area for the upcoming Walk Bridge Replacement Project.
This meeting was recorded and posted on Thursday, June 18. At the time of the meeting, the presentation was available on the Walk Bridge Program’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WalkBridgeCT/.
Meeting materials, including a copy of the presentation and a comment form, were posted on this webpage 5 days in advance of the meeting. Following the meeting, a recording of the meeting was made available on this webpage.
Hard copies of the meeting materials and comment form can be requested by contacting the Public Information Office at 1-833-462-9255, or by email, at info@walkbridgect.com.
Meeting Materials
June 16, 2020 Public Meeting Video
Manresa Island Research Reports
In June of 2020, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) conducted an online public information meeting regarding the potential use of Manresa Island as a staging and construction area for the Walk Bridge Replacement Project. As a result of public comments and inquiries from the meeting, CTDOT undertook studies beyond work already performed to inform a decision about the use of Manresa Island. Four areas of further study were performed over the summer: Traffic, Noise, Environmental Issues and an Alternate Site Evaluation.
Listed below is a description of the scope of work performed for each study as well as that studies’ conclusion(s). A link to the full report is provided for each study.
Traffic
The traffic study was performed using various sources of data. The latest available traffic data from 2017 was used for each study area intersection for analysis purposes. Traffic modeling software was utilized to evaluate the operations at the impacted intersections.
The study is a supplement to the Transportation Management Plan and traffic operations will be monitored, adjusted and updated as warranted based on field observations, operational information (planned roadway closures), and lessons learned to achieve safe and effective transportation operations.
Scope of work: the study looked at the roadway and intersection geometry within the project limits and a traffic operational and safety analysis was performed.
Conclusions: The expected increase in trucks and vehicles destined for Manresa Island is shown to have only minor impacts to traffic operations and is as described at the June 2020 public meeting.
There are no expected impacts to transit.
Noise
The study modeled conditions anticipated to result from work at the proposed bridge assembly site on Manresa Island as well as the vicinity of 70 Water Street.
Scope of work: Data collected in early September 2020 documented background ambient noise levels at five (5) locations adjacent to Manresa Island. This information was then compared to a model of future construction noise levels based on Manresa Island work activities. Additionally, the 70 Water Street location was modeled and compared to the Manresa Island location.
Conclusions: Noise monitoring has concluded that conducting these construction activities at Manresa Island will have less community noise impact.
- Noise will be audible at times to noise receptors (residences) because of proximity to construction activity, but the noise will be significantly below state limits at Manresa Island.
The results of the study also indicate that the noise impacts would be significantly higher if the Lift Span Assembly were to occur in the 70 Water Street vicinity since noise receptors are much closer at this area.
Environmental Issues
The analysis focused on air and water quality as well as the subject of on-site contaminants.
Scope of work: The analysis looked at construction activities in accordance with the Department’s Required Best Management Practices (BMPs), which include dust control, erosion and sediment control, vehicle emission control, and controls for hazardous materials.
Conclusions: Air and water quality will be ensured with the inclusion of the Department’s standard specification 1.10 Environmental Compliance under Form 818.
The Department has designed activities to prevent disturbance of existing on-site materials.
The Department has designed its proposed site activities to minimize the disturbance of existing on-site soils and sediment.
Alternate Site Evaluation
Off-site assembly of the lift span is advantageous compared to assembly at the bridge because of the marine vessel impacts associated with river construction; constructability difficulties when working on the water; and noise implications from steel assembly. Each lift span will be assembled and the completed span will be transported to the Walk Bridge via a barge. Once the barge is floated into place, the new span will be lifted into its final position.
Scope of Work: Several sites along the East Coast (U.S.) and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as along the Hudson River, were identified and information was gathered on the transportation and assembly cost, quality control complications, and associated risk with open water transportation of the assembled spans. An analysis of these non-local sites was conducted for comparison with use of the Manresa Island site.
Conclusions: Analysis of non-local sites identified risks that would result in higher costs and project schedule uncertainty. Those risks include:
- the impact of weather events on the marine transport of the lift spans leading to schedule delays and the potential full loss of the barges/lift spans due to a weather event
- the cost of adding construction inspectors and other staff at non-local sites
- the impact of logistics needed to resolve issues at a non-local site
The study concludes that using Manresa Island is recommended as it optimizes the coordination, logistics and risks associated with the lift span assembly.
Read the Alternate Site study report
The Walk Bridge Program consists of more than a half dozen infrastructure projects that increase safety, reliability and ease of travel throughout Norwalk and the Northeast Rail Corridor. This Program advances Norwalk’s railroad transportation infrastructure into the 21st century, while improving local roads and sidewalks for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
Spanning the Norwalk River, the Walk Bridge is more than 120 years old; it is a critical link in the Northeast Corridor and carries more than 200 trains per day.
CTDOT Letter to Residents of Village Creek, Harbor Shores, Harbor View and Wilson Point - January 2021
On January 8, 2021, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) issued the following response to a November 11, 2020, letter from residents of Village Creek, Harbor Shores, Harbor View, and Wilson Point about the Walk Bridge project surrounding Manresa Island.
Read the CTDOT cover letter to residents – January 8, 2021
Read the CTDOT detailed response letter to residents - January 8, 2021