City Engineer Tom Brown recently provided a report to Bridgeport City Council of infrastructure projects recently completed and those in progress.

 

Brown informed Council and those in attendance that overall, more than $4,400,000 has been appropriated for roadway repairs and parking areas and $1.7 million has been allocated for Main Street upgrades. Utility projects have totaled more than $500,000 annually, he said.

 

“One of the things that makes my professional life enjoyable is Council providing funding for us to make a difference in the lives of the residents of Bridgeport,” Brown said. “Pot holes can be repaired, there are less water breaks and less sewer backup situations. Things are improving – but we still have a ways to go.”

 

For the 2013-2014 fiscal year, projects included those falling under several different components of infrastructure – sewer, water, storm drain, electric and roadway.

 

The longest list of line items involve storm drain improvements, which have taken place on Meadow Lane, Ridgeway Drive, Center Street, Glen Avenue, Oak Lane and Rivendell Drive, as well as design work for Worthington Drive and the cleaning, repairing and mapping of several other storm drain locations.

 

Roadway improvements include asphalt overlay projects, the widening of the bottom section of Third Street and 1000 feet of curb replacement in various locations. In progress are Phase V improvements to Main Street and replacement of street and stop signs. Under contract are 2014 concrete streets and sidewalk repairs.

 

Brown also spoke about ongoing design and construction of Meadow Lane sewer work and the design of Johnson Avenue upgrade from Bridgeport High School to Hall Street; the latter project scheduled for bid and construction in the spring of 2015.

 

Water projects include approximately 350 meter change outs and construction completion and upgrades of water systems on Platinum Drive, Brushy Fork Road and Hall Street.

 

Improvements with regard to electric include a safety light at Crystal Ridge and Rosewood and conduit and light bases at on Thompson Drive.

 

Projects in the works, Brown said, include sewer upgrades on Pennsylvania Avenue and Meadow Lane – the latter being 80 percent complete. Other projected sewer projects include those at Benedum Civic Center, Belasco Trailer Park and Industrial Park/Airport Road. Brown also informed Council of smoke testing on Shannon and Bright Ridge roads.

 

Water line replacements are slated for Route 50 at Bridgeport Auto Mall, lower Center Street and Route 50 at Corpening Road. Also scheduled, Brown said, is construction and installation of automatic meter reading system – including 300 meter upgrades.

 

Brown next addressed a topic which has been a hot one over the past several months: Storm drain improvements. He explained where the department is with regard to both Phase I and Phase II of the storm drain improvement project.

 

Within Phase I, installation of a stormwater management pond on the Compton property is 90 percent complete and final design and negotiations are under way. Replacement of a 36-inch storm drain through Compton Park is complete. Meadow lane sanitary and storm improvements are more than 70 percent complete and Glen Avenue improvements have been completed in-house, Brown said.

 

Phase II is 98 percent complete. Areas encompassed in Phase II are Center Street, North Street/Kelly Drive and Worthington Drive. Worthington Drive storm drainage project is in final design stages with late-fall construction planned. That project is being done in-house, Brown said.

 

At tonight’s meeting of Bridgeport City Council, Fire Chief Robert Seccuro will provide a report of happenings within his department.