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Torrington council tables $226,178 change-order request for Church Street bridge
Summary
The council on Nov. 10 tabled a request to approve $226,178.60 in design-initiated change orders for the Church Street bridge (CTDOT Bridge No. 03976), citing unanswered questions about use of contingency funds and remaining bonded-project balances; members asked staff to return with a full accounting.
The Torrington City Council on Nov. 10 voted to table a request authorizing the mayor to approve $226,178.60 in design-initiated change orders for the rehabilitation of the Church Street bridge (CTDOT Bridge No. 03976).
Council members and city staff said the underlying contract for the project came in on budget at $1,000,004.74, but inspections after milling found concrete-deck deficiencies and required repairs, plus additional asphalt shimming on the approach roadway. City staff asked to cover $226,178.60 in extra work from the city pavement bond fund, citing a city engineer memo dated 11/05/2025.
Several council members questioned why the project’s contingency money (discussed in the packet as approximately $60,000–$70,000) was not applied to some of the extra costs and pressed for a clear accounting of what remains in the bonded-projects fund. City staff said two of the items were unforeseen and had to be repaired immediately because the road was closed and school traffic required timely reopening. Staff also said the paving company work was a subcontract to the original bridge contractor and that the change orders were outside the original contract’s approved amount.
After debate about process, contingency use and timing of notification to council, a motion to table the authorization carried by voice vote with four in favor and one opposed. Council requested a full accounting of bonded-project balances at the next meeting and suggested the staff return with a revised request that applies contingency funds where appropriate and separates the unforeseen items for separate authorization.
Background details in the packet show the requested change-order sum as $226,178.60 and list the original contract amount as $1,000,004.74. Staff described the work necessary as concrete deck repairs discovered during inspection and asphalt shimming/patching required after milling. The council did not approve the change orders at the Nov. 10 meeting and instructed staff to return with more complete financial detail before any authorization.
Next steps: The council directed staff to prepare a bond-fund accounting and a breakdown showing which items could be covered by contingency and which require separate authorization; the matter is expected back on the agenda at the next meeting.
