Star Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation
By Ken Liebeskind CEG CORRESPONDENT
Aetna Bridge Co. of Warwick, R.I., the lead contractor on the Gold Star Memorial Bridge rehabilitation project, has completed work on the northbound span and is currently working on the southbound span, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
The Gold Star Memorial Bridge is the largest bridge in Connecticut, with separate northbound and southbound structures connecting New London and Groton over the Thames River. Carrying more than 100,000 vehicles daily, the bridge is a critical transportation link for both commercial and recreational traffic, playing a key role in the movement of people and goods throughout the region.
“The Gold Star Memorial Bridge Phase 1A project consists of four phases (A, B, C and D) of steel repairs on the approach truss spans,” according to Aetna Bridge Co. “Phases A and B are priority repairs on each side of the truss that must be completed prior to the start of Phases C and D.
In total, there are 373 steel repair locations, including:
West Hartford, Conn., to Start Resurfacing LaSalle Road as Part of $10M Town Upgrade
Motorists driving in downtown West Hartford, Conn., might face slow going on LaSalle Road for several weeks as one side of the street will be closed for resurfacing starting Sept. 15. The road improvement is part of the town's $10 million plan to overhaul West Hartford Center.
Other components of the project have included replacing old sidewalk in the area, which is ongoing, according to the Greenwich Time on Sept. 11.
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Conn. Developer Dreams of Bridge Over Long Island Sound
Stephen Shapiro’s name has become synonymous with housing in Connecticut, with around 20 either under development or completed throughout the greater Bridgeport area.
But the Easton developer has a grander vision — one that calls for the creation of a 14-mi.-long bridge spanning Long Island Sound, connecting Connecticut to New York’s Long Island. He sees it going from Bridgeport across the water to Sunken Meadow State Parkway just north of Kings Park, N.Y.
“That’s my dream,” said Shapiro, who has housing projects throughout the area, including Fairfield, Easton, Bristol, Trumbull, Milford and Shelton. “Imagine getting to Ocean Beach [in New York] from here in 45 minutes.”
Shapiro is not the first to envision just such a bridge — with a lower level for train service connecting Metro-North to the Long Island Railroad — traversing the Sound. New York officials have commissioned such studies in the past, but Shapiro hopes to spur interest in Connecticut for the project, CT Insider reported Sept. 21.
“It would bring in $8 to $10 billion a year in revenue [and] yes, the initial construction would cause some issues, but the final result would be an economic boon,” Shapiro said. “This is not my idea. It is something that should have been done that has never gotten done.”
He said such a bridge, with its connection in Bridgeport, would help to revitalize the Park City and bring financial benefit to the Naugatuck Valley and state while alleviating traffic in lower Fairfield County, Conn.
And Shapiro’s idea has caught the attention of some Connecticut lawmakers as well.
“A project that can bring in revenue and that will lower taxes, bring jobs and economic growth as well as protect American lives in the event of a natural disaster should be welcomed with open arms,” said state Rep. Joe Hoxha, who represents Bristol and Plymouth and is a member of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments.
The next step, he told CT Insider, is to make the public aware that such a bridge is possible, followed by bringing in the federal government, which could provide millions in grant dollars to offset costs.
Shapiro said the greatest benefit would be cutting traffic bottlenecks in New York City and Connecticut, specifically Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, Conn., two of the most congested highway stretches in the country.
In addition, he noted that a $39 bridge toll — less than the cost of the ferry while providing one-fifth the travel time — would pay for construction in 48 years, and this does not consider any other economic benefits.
It also would add a safety component in case Long Island was hit with a hurricane like the Long Island Clipper, a devastating Category 3 storm that slammed the region in 1938 causing widespread damage and deaths.
Shapiro said a Long Island Sound bridge would be a key evacuation route for 8 million people if needed.
“I am always thinking about what’s next ... where can I help make this a better place,” said Shapiro, who was born in Bridgeport and grew up in Fairfield. “This would be it.”
Shapiro Also Wants More Affordable Housing in State
The veteran developer spends the majority of his time creating housing projects throughout the greater Bridgeport area.
Connecticut is in desperate need of accessible, affordable housing, and he said he is answering the call.
Shapiro began his real estate career a couple years after dropping out of Fairfield University when he was 19. He bought his first house at 22 and did his first of more than 100 house flips at 23 before shifting to larger housing developments.
“I kept growing, learning and doing,” he said. “I was building new houses, dealing with zoning already. I lived here my whole life. I know the place like the back of my hand. I figured if I am already working with zoning just building a house, why not go for
something bigger.”
Shapiro currently has 20 developments — either in the building process or completed — in municipalities from Bristol to Fairfield to Milford, and several other towns in between.
According to CT Insider, Shapiro has been most vocal about “middle housing,” or multifamily residential developments more moderate in size and scale than towering apartment buildings. His goal is to create more homes like this — sometimes called “workforce housing” — that allows town employees and seniors to have an affordable option.
Shapiro has approved plans in Fairfield (19 units on Stillson Road and 39 units on Congress Street); Bristol (28 units of hospital workforce housing); Monroe (a five-unit single family subdivision); Newtown (an eight-unit single family subdivision); and Stratford (14 units of workforce housing and a five-unit single family subdivision).
In addition, he has pending applications in Fairfield (108 units on Biro Street); Trumbull (48 units on Reservoir Avenue); Shelton (separate plans for Shelton Avenue and Armstrong Road); Milford; and the Easton/Trumbull line on Plum Tree Road.
By teaming up with former Connecticut Speaker of the House Jim Amann, Shapiro has begun to lobby state lawmakers for middle housing incentives at the local level.
This workforce component would allow
for town employees, including teachers, police, fire personnel and senior citizens to have first crack at renting units during the first 30 days the development is taking applications.
Shapiro wants middle housing developments to get the same exemptions from local zoning regulations as affordable housing projects under Connecticut’s 8-30g, a state statute designed to increase low-cost housing by enacting long-term affordability protections.
The state legislature is considering a bill that would offer grants to public housing authorities for middle housing developments.
“This is not a partisan issue, it’s a fact,” Shapiro said. “Everyone knows Connecticut is short on housing, and we need to work together for reasonable density developments in reasonably placed areas.”
In most cases, the housing he proposes sits near public transportation. Affordable housing also allows people to live where they work.
“The benefits to society are so common sense, I don’t get the opposition,” he said. “I want to serve the need based on what the climate is, based on what the needs are for society, the economy. But I want to do more than just housing — I want to do what is best for society.”
And that next project may be a bridge over the Long Island Sound.
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The rehabilitation of LaSalle Road is the first of a two-part effort by West Hartford to revitalize its aging infrastructure in the town’s main shopping and dining district.
It will do so through a comprehensive reconstruction of LaSalle Road from Farmington Avenue to Ellsworth Road and Farmington Avenue from North/South Main Street to Walden Street.
Beyond the resurfacing of LaSalle, crews also will install new granite curbing, wider concrete sidewalks, decorative street lighting, make traffic-signal modifications, landscape the area with engineered tree pits, put in raised crosswalks and include site furniture and other amenities.
The project is expected to last two construction seasons with an anticipated completion by November 2026, the town noted on its online project page.
The upgrades will be phased to minimize disruptions to the businesses and the general public. Each one will include two work areas, both of which are approximately 400 ft. in length and on different sides of the street.
Downtown construction schedules are being coordinated closely with the town and its nearby businesses, West Hartford added.
LaSalle Road Resurfacing Part of Larger Town Center Upgrade
Early in 2026, the town will begin its efforts to complete the second part of the project by performing the same work along Farmington Avenue.
West Hartford’s plans were designed to modernize pedestrian walkways, replace dying trees and generally make the area more people-friendly. In addition, the project includes the creation of two mobility hubs, for which the town has received state funding.
When the resurfacing begins, traffic on LaSalle Road through the downtown will only be allowed to travel southbound as crews work on the eastern side of the street. When that work is finished, and crews switch to the western side of LaSalle, the street will be open to traffic one way in the northbound direction.
The town noted that Gerber Construction Inc. of Ellington, Conn., was awarded the contract to upgrade LaSalle Road earlier this year, while M&J Engineering, located in Hamden, serves as the construction management firm.
American Rescue Plan Act funds are covering the project’s costs.
Roadway Reclamation Seen as Best Method Along LaSalle Road
West Hartford officials had previously intended to replace the surface of LaSalle Road through a “simple mill and overlay” process, but later said that “unforeseen circumstances” changed the scope of construction, the Time noted.
Instead, the town has opted for a roadway reclamation.
M&J Engineering said in a news release that the process is a “more environmentally sustainable approach to construction that improves durability and long-term per-
formance.”
The company described a roadway reclamation process as using existing pavement, blending it with stabilizing additives and paving it with new asphalt.
“By reusing materials, this process produces a uniform, stabilized base layer and reduces waste while extending the life of the roadway surface,” M&J Engineering said.
The firm did not immediately respond to questions from the Time about what circumstances might have forced the town to shift from its initial plans.
Businesses will remain open during the LaSalle roadway reclamation project, the Greenwich news source learned, and additional signage, traffic control and pedestrian barriers will be placed along the street during its construction.
Pedestrian crosswalks also will remain open, and the town will offer free on-street parking on LaSalle and Farmington during the work, town officials said, as a way to benefit nearby local businesses.
The resurfacing of LaSalle Road is expected to be completed by Oct. 10.
Mass. to Begin Building $200M Crime Lab in Marlborough
In recognition of Forensic Science Week in September, the administration of Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, through the Massachusetts State Police and the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), announced plans to develop a $200 million crime laboratory in Marlborough.
Construction of the lab, located at 100 Martinangelo Drive, is set to begin in early 2026, according to the administration. The facility is being developed by Greatland Realty Partners in Boston, an established leader in lab and life science projects, and supported by a seasoned design and construction team committed to delivering a future-ready space.
The new Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory (MSPCL) is tentatively slated to open in the first quarter of 2028.
Massachusetts will lease the approximately 200,000-sq.-ft. lab under a 20-year term with two 10year extension options. The longterm lease approach will enable the state police to obtain a much-needed facility several years faster than it would be possible if the project had been delivered through traditional capital borrowing and public construction.
for victims and families.”
In addition, it has been designed to house 300 permanent full-time jobs — approximately 250 of which would be relocated from elsewhere in the state, with the remaining 50 positions being newly created, the governor’s office noted in a news release.
“We are delighted to welcome this important public safety facility and its employees to Marlborough,” said Mayor J. Christian Dumais. “When state and local governments work together, the outcomes are always stronger. I look forward to partnering with both Greatland and state officials to ensure this project delivers meaningful economic, workforce and community benefits for our city.”
The facility will consolidate the state crime labs in Sudbury and Maynard into a single location, the administration added.
“Our crime lab professionals play a vital role in investigations across Massachusetts. We’re incredibly proud of their behind-thescenes work and their deep commitment to delivering unbiased, science-based evidence to inform investigations and detect crime patterns,” said Col. Geoff Noble, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police.
“This new cutting-edge crime lab will enhance our ability to uphold national standards of forensic excellence, support law enforcement statewide and provide justice
The Community Advocate, an online news source in nearby Westborough, said that in May, the Marlborough City Council’s Finance Committee voted to approve a 20year Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement with Greatland Realty Partners.
“I want to stand on my desk and clap,” said Ward 1 Councilor Mike Vital at the time. “We’re the envy of the area.”
It was later approved by the full council on June 9. As a result, Greatland will receive an exemption in real estate property taxes — approximately $754,000 in the first year (fiscal 2029), sliding to approximately $75,000 (fiscal 2048).
State and local leaders were quick to praise the administration for helping to shepherd along the development of the new crime lab.
“Massachusetts is a national leader in forensic science. Beyond the critical infrastructure, this project represents our continued commitment to scientific excellence, justice and public safety innovation,” noted state Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “This purpose-built facility has been made possible by the strong collaboration between State Police, DCAMM and Greatland Realty Partners. I want to thank everyone involved for their continued partnership as this vision becomes a reality.”
DCAMM Commissioner Adam Baacke
added, “This project is a great creative example of DCAMM’s commitment to assisting the Commonwealth’s agencies in obtaining modern, high-performing facilities that support the vital public services they provide to their constituents.”
The Marlborough site was chosen specifically for its accessibility, proximity to major highways and capacity to support the new jobs and additional economic development the lab will bring to both the city and surrounding region.
The four-story facility will be designed to meet LEED Silver standards and comply with the latest Massachusetts energy codes, underscoring the state’s commitment to sustainable development, the governor’s office noted. With the crime lab as its sole tenant, the new building will activate a vacant site while delivering brand-new systems, accessible design and secure privacy through its set-back location.
“Greatland is pleased to partner with the state in developing the new Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory,” said Kevin Sheehan, the real estate firm’s managing principal. “Marlborough is an outstanding location in a business-friendly community, with access to major transportation arteries. We look forward to delivering this critical public safety facility, and an ongoing partnership with the Commonwealth and the City of Marlborough.”
New State Crime Lab Latest of Several in Mass.
The MSPCL is a full-service lab system with nine locations across the state, including an evidence storage facility. Its highly trained scientists respond to crime scenes, perform laboratory testing and provide expert testimony. They also conduct forensic analysis in various disciplines, including criminalistics, DNA, trace/arson and explosives, drug chemistry, ante- and post-mortem toxicology, latent print and impression evidence and firearms. Its professionals also perform breath alcohol instrument calibration certifications and collect and process DNA samples to submit to the national DNA database.
In 2022, the MSPCL achieved national accreditation renewal from the ANSI National Accreditation Board/ANAB, North America’s largest multi-disciplinary accreditation body.
After a rigorous evaluation, the MSPCL was granted renewal for exemplifying best practices in international testing, calibration and forensic-specific standards. The state crime lab has maintained its accreditation status through annual assessments by ANAB, verifying continued compliance with the standards of the accrediting body, and will once again seek accreditation renewal in 2026, according to the state.
Executive Office of Public Safety and Security render
The new Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory (MSPCL) is tentatively slated to open in the first quarter of 2028.
CTDOT Inspects Heroes Tunnel Ahead of $150M Upgrade
Crews from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) have conducted overnight inspections of New Haven’s Heroes Tunnel on state Highway 15/Wilbur Cross Parkway in recent days as they prepare for a $150 million renovation project slated to begin in 2028.
The inspections, which started late on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, and were planned to last through early on Sept. 26, were done to help shape designs for the tunnel’s overhaul to improve safety and travel, Eva Zymaris, a CTDOT spokesperson, told the Greenwich Time.
Agency officials have said that the 76year-old twin-barrel (or tube) tunnel is outdated and costly to maintain.
The inspections meant CTDOT had to shut down one side of the tunnel and detour traffic through the other before switching to conduct the work within the other tube from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., with the passageway fully reopening during the day.
State transportation officials said during the week that the schedule could be adjusted or extended due to weather delays or “other unforeseen conditions.”
The tunnel, a critical link along Conn. 15 that carries about 74,000 vehicles per day through West Rock Ridge in New Haven,
has been wearing down in recent years, the Greenwich Time learned.
A 2022 inspection report noted several “deficiencies,” and its narrow lanes and tight shoulders often lead to congestion and bottlenecks during rush hour, according to a CTDOT presentation to New Haven leaders in May.
The transportation department has considered several options to modernize the structure over the past decade, but only minor repairs have thus far been completed.
The latest plans call for repairs to the tunnel liners, updated ventilation and fire-protection systems, better lighting and new signs to guide both drivers and pedestrians.
Currently, the project is in the design and environmental review phases.
Tunnel’s Name Honors Connecticut Veterans
Originally called the West Rock Tunnel, it was renamed in 2003 to honor Connecticut’s military veterans, according to the Heroes Tunnel Project website. It is the only highway tunnel in the state that passes beneath a natural land feature.
Consisting of two 1,200-ft.-long horseshoe-shaped barrels, the tunnel carries two lanes of Conn. 15/Wilbur Cross Parkway traffic in a northeast-southwest direction through the hillside in New Haven County.
On the CTDOT website, agency officials said on the tunnel’s project page that they are “undertaking a structural rehabilitation of the tunnel lining system while concurrently revisiting and completing the preliminary design for the life safety and fire protection upgrades at the Heroes Tunnel.”
The project area includes the tunnel and its approaches in the towns of Woodbridge, Hamden and New Haven. Public input remains an important part of the process and assists in shaping the tunnel upgrade’s outcome, according to the transportation agency.
Work Starts On $87.8M Pier at Conn. Naval Submarine Base
The U.S. Navy will replace a pier at the submarine base in southeastern Connecticut, the latest of a series of infrastructure upgrades at the hub on the Thames River to accommodate the larger subs that will be berthed there in the future.
In early September, the Navy officials announced that it had awarded a contract to replace Pier 31 at Naval Submarine Base New London, with the project expected to be completed by November 2027.
Nebraska-based Weeks-Cashman JV won the $87.8 million contract to replace the pier. If all of the deal’s options are exercised, the full value could be as much as $95.6 million, according to the Navy.
An official with Quincy, Mass.-based Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting Co. confirmed in an email to the Darien (Conn.) Times that the company was part of the joint venture with Weeks Marine but did not immediately provide additional comment.
The project will extend by 90 ft. the length of Pier 31, which currently measures 70 ft. in width and 500 ft. in length. The structure was originally constructed in 2012.
Navy officials described the upgrade as “essential” to support berthing not only older Los Angeles-class submarines and more
advanced Block V Virginia-class nuclear subs — already homeported at the 10-pier base — but future vessels as well.
Virginia-class submarines, built by Connecticut-based General Dynamic Electric Boat, will incorporate the new Virginia Payload module, which comprises four additional large-diameter payload tubes. This enables the submarine to deliver weapons, unmanned vehicles and other
undersea payloads.
Other work on the pier will include expanding electrical substations, dredging, relocating a floating security barrier, the possibility of demolishing existing piers and the construction of a low-pressure compressed air system, according to the Navy.
The design process for the Pier 8 replacement is already under way, but its construction has not yet been funded.
Previous undertakings at the submarine base included the replacement of nearby Pier 12, which was completed in November 2022.
Base Home to Several Subs
Among the other subs stationed at the base is the USS Iowa, a Virginia-class ship that was commissioned in April. The vessel was built by Electric Boat, which is headquartered a few miles down the river from Naval Submarine Base New London.
Electric Boat has completed 13 Virginiaclass submarines, whose capabilities include anti-submarine and surface-ship warfare, in addition to special-operations support. The company was awarded a healthy $12.4 billion for modifications and construction of another pair of Virginia-class vessels just last spring
A total of about 6,000 sailors and civilians work daily at Naval Submarine Base New London. It became the country’s nation’s first, permanent continental submarine base in 1916.
While the base has New London in its name, in reference to the city on the west bank of the Thames River, it is actually located in Groton, which is on the river’s east bank, the Times noted.
Heroes Tunnel, New Haven, Conn.
General Dynamic Electric Boat photo
An example of the Virginia-class submarines to be stationed at the upgraded base.
Major Upgrades Under Way On Gold Star Memorial Bridge
The total cost for the rehabilitation work on both the northbound and southbound bridges is approximately $80 million.
BRIDGE from page 1
• 168 gusset plate repairs (node locations);
• 96 diagonal chord repairs;
• 88 vertical chord repairs; and
• 21 stringer plate repairs.
The scope of work also includes the installation, management and removal of working platforms and erection rigging; containment, blasting, painting and touch-up of steel repair locations; modifications to interfering drainage systems and installation of a temporary system; and traffic management on both the Gold Star Memorial Bridge and adjacent surface roads.
“The southbound structure project includes structure Class S repairs, abrasive blast cleaning and coating of beam ends, steel repairs, localized paint removal, bearing replacements, bolt replacements, weld repairs and joint replacements,” according to engineering firm, GM2.
“Improvements also included removing and replacing the existing deck membrane and roadway asphalt surfacing.”
The total cost for the rehabilitation work on both the northbound and southbound bridges is approximately $80 million. A portion of the funding is provided through a grant from the federal Bridge Investment Program, with the remainder covered by 90 percent federal funds and 10 percent state funds.
Construction began in February 2025 and is expected to be complete by February 2026. Bridge strengthening began in March 2025 and is scheduled for completion by November 2025.
Aetna Bridge Co. is using equipment from its extensive inventory to support the project.
“Our warehouse facility is stocked with bridge repair materials and equipment including structural steel beams and tubing, timber cribbing, shielding materials, traffic control equipment, forklifts, Bid-Well concrete finishing machines, aerial lifts, light towers, generators and compressors,” according to the company. CEG
(All photos courtesy of CTDOT.)
Construction began in February 2025 and is expected to be complete by February 2026. Bridge strengthening began in March 2025 and is scheduled for completion by November 2025.
The Gold Star Memorial Bridge is the largest bridge in Connecticut, with separate northbound and southbound structures connecting New London and Groton over the Thames River.
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Elementary School Construction in R.I. May Finish Under Budget
Construction of the new Johnston Elementary School in Rhode Island remains on time and is now projected to cost less than expected, according to a presentation made by a senior project manager at the Sept. 9 building subcommittee meeting of the Johnston Public Schools (JPS).
Justin Bernard, senior project manager of Colliers Engineering & Design, said the total anticipated cost of the construction is now just under $92 million, down from the project’s overall budget, which remains roughly $94.6 million. So far, the project has expended approximately $65 million, the Johnston Sun Rise reported Sept. 11, 2025.
Negotiations with construction giant Gilbane and its subcontractors played a key part in cutting costs, Bernard said, making it possible to dispose of the project’s excess soil at a rate of $15 per ton instead of the original charge of $40 per ton. Soil disposal will now cost only about $250,000, down from an initial estimated cost of $1.4 million.
Bernard’s presentation included drone footage taken in late August that provided a bird’s-eye view of the construction. He confirmed to committee members that all of the building’s brick exterior has been placed and that the roof is now complete. In addition, he estimated that roughly 90-95 percent of the structure’s drywall also is in place, with interior painting well under way.
Landscaping will be a critical next step for the project, including the installation of an outdoor playground and the planting of a number of trees expected to arrive in late October. Bernard also said that construction workers would begin to put down flooring inside the building within the next few
weeks.
The new Johnston Elementary School remains on track to open in the fall of 2026, where it will serve up to 1,100 students in grades 1-4 from throughout the district.
Students From Four Schools Consolidate Under One Roof
The Sept. 9 construction update was a welcome piece of news for JPS officials, whose hopes of achieving financial stability are pinned on the new elementary school. The district’s financial problems were brought into sharp focus during the summer, when a $5.4 million bailout from the town’s reserve fund in June was needed to balance the fiscal year budget.
By closing all four of Johnston’s current elementary schools next year and consolidating those students into a single building, the school system hopes to reduce operating costs in the district enough to prevent future budget shortfalls.
Johnston’s school committee members also reacted positively to the news that progress on the new elementary school’s construction is going better than expected.
“This is a big deal: on time and under budget,” said Joseph Rotella, the committee’s chair. “That’s what we were hoping for.”
Fellow member Carolyn Thornton Iannuccilli added that she was glad to hear of the project’s saved costs, and credited JPS Finance Director Dean Huff for negotiating a better deal on soil disposal.
“I think we need that kind of diligence and hard work to find those savings for our school district, which is all going to add up,” she said.
Johnston Public Schools render
Artist’s rendering of the new Johnston Elementary School, Johnston, R.I.
