Ferry Street Bridge Closed

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by Melissa Bailey | Nov 23, 2011 1:31 pm

(10) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Fair Haven

Barbara Oliver Photo In a flashback for Fair Haven, neighbors Wednesday found the Ferry Street Bridge had again been closed for repairs.

City Engineer Dick Miller said he learned of a problem on the bridge Tuesday afternoon. An “electrical issue” caused damage to a “battery-control module” that controls the raising and lowering of the drawbridge.

The bridge was left in the up position, closed to vehicular traffic, while the city determined the problem, Miller said.

“We had people out there this morning to trouble-shoot it,” Miller said Wednesday. “The bottom line is that we’re going to be replacing some of those electrical parts.”

The parts are on emergency order, Miller said. Meanwhile, he directed the city to lower the drawbridge and open it back up to cars Wednesday. If a boat comes by on the Quinnipiac River, someone will be on hand to manually open the bridge, Miller said.

Rob Smuts, the city’s chief administrative officer, didn’t have a time estimate on when the bridge would reopen, but he said stop-gap measures would keep it open to traffic until then. He said the bridge should be fixed on Monday or Tuesday.

The closure sent a wave of déjà vu through Fair Haven and the Annex.

Traffic snarled and businesses languished for six years as the bridge remained closed for repairs. It reopened in 2008 to much rejoicing.

“Traffic in the mornings and evenings in this area now is horrendous!” wrote neighbor Barbara Oliver in an email. “No one knows the bridge is closed, and as they approach it from Quinnipiac, Farren or Ferry, they have to turn around. That makes Front St. and Quinnipiac Avenue a mess at those high traffic times.”

Comments

posted by: Peter on November 23, 2011 1:55pm

what about the State Street Bridge. Does anyone know when that will be opened?

posted by: nero on November 23, 2011 2:17pm

I hope that “manually open” doesn’t mean that some poor sap has to put his back to a crank and bunch of gears.

posted by: Fair Haven resident on November 23, 2011 2:32pm

I’m so glad information about the bridge was finally posted online. I’ve been looking at the broken bridge from my window since yesterday afternoon, wondering what was going on. I kept looking online for info, and this is the first acknowledgment I’ve seen of the problem. I haven’t seen anything from either the New Haven Register or WTNH.

I would think that this would be much more widely publicized, being as it greatly affects traffic flow in the area. Why has this been ignored? I even wrote in to WTNH about it yesterday right after I noticed it, and waited for some result; well, nothing appeared on their otherwise useful website to inform the public. (They didn’t have to take just my word for it; they could’ve done some checking on it themselves.)

Just not “newsy” enough? For heaven’s sake, it doesn’t have to be a spectacular story, just some info people can use to plan their day and their driving routes.

posted by: 2Unique on November 23, 2011 3:38pm

I heard about this on the scanner last night…NHPD was troubled that they couldn’t roust enough signage and barriers on the River Street side. I forgot about it ‘til I tried to get downtown at 7:30 this AM…had to detour from Farren left on East Ferry to Quinnipiac (a strange roundabout there) to Grand Avenue (it’s MADDENING trying to make a left turn onto Grand from northbound Quinnipiac at that time of day). No notice on the local traffic reports, nothing ‘til this article. Thanks, NHI…maybe that’s why you’re a “Good Egg!”

posted by: Quinnipiacker on November 23, 2011 4:21pm

I’ve been watching this traffic since yesterday. Is there anyway to change the timing on the light at Quinnipiac and Grand so that it’s more than 15 seconds for cars on Quinnipiac, until this mess clears up? Seems it would do a lot to solve the traffic flow issues…

posted by: Chris O on November 23, 2011 4:44pm

Add in the flooding on route 80. traffic was a mess but the road on Q ave is functioning better. Just a few “pedestrian issues to fix and we can handle a litle traffic-

posted by: Follow up story please! on November 23, 2011 6:03pm

Idea/request to New Haven Indy—could you find out how much the city (us taxpayers) pays a year for running the three (right?) movable bridges, if there’s any charge to the boaters, what the state laws/regs are, how much of an economy it actually supports and the jobs, income, and taxes. Have always been curious.

posted by: TC on November 23, 2011 7:42pm

The only way to get the bridge story to WTNH is if you go on the bridge and shoot someone. Then , it will be all over the airwaves.
Shootings, car crashes, and house fires from all across the nation is what we are treated to every day and night.
Thanks goodness for the INDEPENDENT!!!

posted by: Bill Saunders on November 25, 2011 5:27pm

Evil Knievel could make that jump!!!
(kids, don’t try this at home)

posted by: me on November 28, 2011 1:41am

When is everyone going to realize that none of the Police nor City officials care about traffic backups and having people stuck in traffic for hours. This is what draws in the tourist dollars right ?? well at least to the gas stations.

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