A $150,000 project that should stabilize the flood wall at the Bridgeport City Pool is moving ahead despite inclement weather and has led to a partial shutdown of one of the city’s most heavily used parking facilities.

 

Late last week and already this week, Cook Brothers Contracting began work on the project that came in at $149,441. The Work began almost a month to the day after Bridgeport City Council unanimously approved the low bid at the governing body’s Jan. 12 meeting.

 

“You can certainly tell there is construction going on if you’re on the (Benedum) Civic Center grounds,” said Parks and Recreation Director Don Burton. “The contractor has gotten gravel from the edge of the parking lot all the way to the construction site where the flood wall is located. There’s a noticeable gravel road down to move the equipment over.”

 

The flood wall in question is in the area behind the diving boards at the pool and abuts Simpson Creek. In the last few years, Burton and other P&R staffers have noticed voids in the concrete on the pool deck near the diving area as well as a void between the main deck and the wall itself. Although there is no immediate danger, retaining walls do not repair themselves on their own, which led to the project that has now begun.

 

Due to the start of the project, more than half of the main parking lot at the Benedum Civic Center is roped off. Burton said that is to allow the contractor to have easy access in and out of the work site and to avoid the possibility of any damage to vehicles in the parking lot.

 

“There are very limited spaces in the Civic Center parking lot at this moment,” said Burton. “We’re encouraging those who are coming to the Civic Center to park across the street to the CC and utilize the free parking at the Municipal Parking Lot.”

 

The parking could be limited in the main lot for up to a month. Burton said it could take that long depending on a number of factors, including weather. However, the contractors were working hard Monday morning and afternoon despite single digit temperatures and snow.

 

“I’m surprised, and pleasantly surprised, they’re working. It’s not the most ideal conditions to work in,” said Burton.

 

The contractor was jackhammering out parts of the pool deck along the flood wall to set the stage to dig down several feet. Once that is done, drainage work will take place and the existing wall will be reinforced with concrete work that will be done to the concrete footers currently in place that the flood wall sits on.

 

“This will address an ongoing issue for us,” said Burton.

 

The design work for the project was done by the Thrasher Group located in Bridgeport.