57°
WESTPORT, Conn. -- Westport will close Bayberry Lane bridge next week for emergency repairs, the town announced Monday.
The repairs are expected to take two to four weeks, said Public Works Director Steve Edwards. The bridge spanning the Aspetuck River will be closed starting July 10.
A routine inspection discovered that storm waters had created "significant structural deficiencies" that had been caused by scour from recent storms, Edwards said in a statement. The damage is caused when sediment, such as sand and rocks, is washed away by swiftly moving water from the base of the bridge abutments, which could undermine the structure's strength, he said.
An underwater inspection confirmed that repairs need to be made as soon as possible, he said.
"The bridge is not unsafe to cross, but we want to get the work done as soon as possible before schools resume in the fall," he said in the statement.
Closing the Bayberry bridge will cause more traffic issues in that section of town. The nearby North Avenue bridge, which also cross the Aspetuck River, is closed for six months for a deck-replacement project.
Bayberry Lane Extension is a cut-through from Easton Road to Lyons Plains Road in Weston. Drivers will be routed via Coleytown Road, west to the intersection of Coleytown and Lyons Plains roads to avoid the closure, Edwards said.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Westport and receive free news updates.
