Stillman Avenue bridge needs repair or replacing

State tells Stonington that span is in ‘serious and declining condition’

Stonington — State transportation officials have informed the town that an inspection has revealed the Stillman Avenue bridge spanning the Pawcatuck River is in serious condition and needs to be rehabilitated or replaced.

The well-traveled bridge is one of three that span the Pawcatuck River between Stonington and Westerly. The other two are the White Rock Bridge and the Pawcatuck River Bridge which connects the downtown area of both communities.

According to the summary of the inspection, the steel girders have severe rusting and other steel components have holes or have rusted away. Due to the “serious and declining condition” of the span, the state is now determining the load the bridge can handle and will report those results to the town.

The report also warns that during a 10-year river flow event, which has a 10 percent chance of occurring in a given year, it is possible the soil supporting the bridge will be eroded, undermining it and making it unsafe.

The state has recommended the town of Stonington and Westerly, which are jointly responsible for the bridge, should monitor the span

during floods and “take whatever action is necessary to ensure the safety of the public up to and including the closure of the structure.”

Because work to replace or rehabilitate a bridge can take five to 10 years to complete, Theodore Nezames, the manager of bridges for the state Department of Transportation, has advised the town to hire an engineering firm immediately.

“This action is required so that any plans necessary for the rehabilitation or replacement of this structure can be prepared prior to the bridge degrading further and jeopardizing the safety of the traveling public,” he wrote to the town in an Aug. 29 letter.

Stonington First Selectman Rob Simmons said repairing the bridge is even more complex than normal because it involves two towns and two states.

He said informal discussions have already begun with Westerly and state officials about the project.

Simmons said the bridge is a popular route for trucks looking to access downtown Westerly businesses as well as residents looking for a shortcut. He said if the bridge is closed “all that traffic will bottleneck in the downtown.”

“We can not afford to allow this bridge to be closed,” he said, pledging that the town will work with Westerly to come up with a plan to fix the bridge.

“We’ll get it done,” he said.