For the second time since initial repairs were made in early 2014, problems involving repaired infrastructure at Compton Park has led to a section of the park being closed off and repair work needed. Recently, Bridgeport City Engineer Tom Brown told the Bridgeport Utility Board that a connection on the infrastructure failed.

 

“It’s an error by the contractor,” said Brown. “The contractor will be coming back to fix the issue. At the same time, our crews got a camera (used to look at storm and sewer lines) stuck inside the line. That one is on us.”

 

Brown said the contractor will be paid to handle the issue with the camera, while the other portion of the work is still under warranty. In the meantime, a roughly 60x60 foot area of Compton Park has orange safety fence around it in two areas. On Tuesday, water was flowing directly across the surface and across the walking trail.

 

“Hopefully, most using the park will see minimal impact at best. You can still use the shelter, the playground and the basketball court,” said Brown. “There’s just that area that’s not good to be around.”

 

This project comes on the heels of a sinkhole forming last summer at the park. The sinkhole came after several major projects were done at Compton Park in 2014 that include the replacement of a retaining wall, the re-paving of the walking trail and the replacement of and repair of storm drainage.

 

Bridgeport’s own work crews, which have done dozens of projects and saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars, worked on the storm drainage portion. Unfortunately, the city finally had one of its own projects done by staff not go the way as planned. Brown said when the new storm drain was installed in 2014 the earth underneath it was significantly saturated due to ongoing leaks prior to its removal. Brown said not enough bedding was put in place under the new pipe where the saturated earth was located.

 

“It’s pushing underneath, under the pipe, and flattening out … It has to be replaced,” Brown said in 2014.

 

 

The problem became noticeable when a sinkhole formed. Eventually, the city paid Solid Rock Contracting $38,400 to repair the line and remove the sinkhole. They will be the company coming back to fix the current issue and work on the area damaged by the city’s camera.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows area cordoned off, while the bottom photo shows water running heavily from the site off the property Tuesday afternoon.