Andover, Conn. — Town Administrator Eric (Town Administrator) told the Board of Finance on Sept. 24 that work on the Bunker Hill bridge has resumed under the contractor’s crews and that the town expects the bridge to be paved and reopened sometime in December. The meeting was held in the Town Hall community room and via hybrid connection.

Eric said the bridge contractor has installed the main deck beams and will begin sequential concrete pours for the deck slab next week. He said the town and the Connecticut Department of Transportation rejected the contractor’s original proposal to repair manufactured beams, citing likely reductions in load-carrying capacity, and required replacement to DOT specifications.

The administrator also described a recent test on one set of micropile grout samples that returned a low strength reading. Eric said engineers re-ran calculations assuming weak grout and concluded the installation still meets structural requirements, noting the bridge is “massively overbuilt” and that the town does not expect a structural longevity issue.

Separately, Eric said the Long Hill Bridge project, funded through the federal–local bridge program with state design funding, has been advanced in the schedule to avoid potential federal funding withdrawals. The town will begin tree trimming and utility relocation in November and December, and construction is scheduled to start April 1; Eric told the board the bridge should be closed for a minimum of eight months.

To reduce traffic impacts during Long Hill construction, the town and state have agreed to install a temporary signal at Hendy Road for the period of construction. Eric said this was a long-running negotiation with the state DOT.

Why it matters: Both bridges are significant capital works for Andover’s road network. Bunker Hill’s anticipated December reopening would restore a local crossing; Long Hill’s April closure will require traffic management and is expected to last at least eight months, affecting school, library and food bank access along the corridor.

The board asked for continued updates on schedule, reimbursements from the state for advance contractor payments and any traffic-management changes before construction begins.