Dormant for decades, construction to replace the Congress Street bridge could commence late summer for the key artery connecting Downtown with the East Side.
The project was put out to bid April 26 with a return deadline slated for May 23.
Backed mostly by state and federal dollars the price tag to replace the drawbridge with a stationary passage is roughly $24 million, according to Finance Director Ken Flatto.
Congressman Jim Himes was instrumental in securing federal approval sign off of a less-costly fixed structure. He also shepherded the funds to remove the bridge closed in the 1990s in a stuck-open position.
The closed nexus derailed commerce and public safety response time. Fire Department headquarters is adjacent to the vacant bridge.
Bridge bid details:
The intent of the Invitation of Bid is to obtain construction costs for the reconstruction of the Congress Street bridge for the City of Bridgeport, Engineering Department, 45 Lyon Terrace, Bridgeport, CT 06604. One (1) Original, three (3) copies and (1) digital flash drive, sealed bids, will be received by the Department of Public Purchases, Margaret E. Morton Government Center, 999 Broad Street, 2nd floor, Bridgeport, CT, until 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 23, 2023, and then publicly opened.
Copies of the contract documents may be purchased from Technical Reproductions Inc. To obtain a bid package, contact Customer Service at the following location: 326 Main Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851, or by phone at (203)849-9100, email copy@trepro.net.
Sealed bids must be received and time-stamped by the Purchasing Department no later than 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
No bid received after bid-closing time will be considered.
To assure that your bid receives priority treatment within our mailing systems, please mark as follows:Department of Public Purchases
Margaret E. Morton Government Center
999 Broad Street, 2nd floor
Bridgeport, CT 06604
ENB087235 – CONGRESS STREET BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
I hope that bridge gets replaced.
Meanwhile, a recent real estate sale in Bridgeport involves over 400 apartment units. Investors have a thirst for rental properties and all of Bridgeport is an opportunity zone under Trump-era laws still in effect. Read more below. Three cheers for the first person to identify the location of the picture in the story.
https://westfaironline.com/real-estate/13-property-bridgeport-multifamily-portfolio-sells-for-39-6m/?mc_cid=2e38d55791&mc_eid=4cfa7af1f3
Bids issued for bridge that has been a decades long discussion. Funding has been found. But now that the Purchasing system is in charge and bids will be due late this month, who is in charge. Long time City purchasing (Acting) has put in his retirement papers. Last day upcoming. Congratulations to Bernd Tardy for his excellent service to the citizens of Bridgeport. Always trying to do his best to meet the standards of the Purchasing profession, and meeting average citizens with an open, accountable, transparent, and honest presence.
What is happening to City employees at supervisory, director, or department manager levels? Health and Social Services Department Director was reported leaving within past two weeks without comments on reasons or direction by City Hall. How many Health Directors must be hired to find one who stays?
Airport Director is departing, also. Flying off to a better place?
Lynn Haig, OPED Planning Director retirement plans were announced on OIB recently as the research, meetings, planning, and dealing that went into the recent documents is studied in depth by reason of a local commercial property, formerly Three Door Restaurant, more recently Testo’s Restaurant, and through even more recent changes without usual neighbor input or hearings into making way for 177 new resident units on the site. What is going on with the number of folks choosing early in an election year for departure? Or is it just a seeming coincidence? Time will tell.