“Beehive Bridge” Holds A Future In New Britain

NEW BRITAIN - The Common Council held a public hearing Tuesday night for the Committee of Administration, Finance and Law regarding the financial costs, accommodations, and city advantages for the Beehive Bridge project.

Held on the second floor of City Hall, the agenda was set to discuss the state project 88-193, construction on Main Street over Route 72 with an open floor to public comment for contractors and community members.

“This project is just the beginning to how we can change and beautify New Britain,” Main Street property owner Les Majewski said. “This is something we have been begging for for a long time, and we as a community deserve it.”

After a 9-4 vote for approval to the committee back in February, the project was handed to the lowest bidder of $7 million coming in from Martin Laviero Contractor Inc. of Bristol, CT.

With $2.3 million coming from city bonding, more than $2.7 million from state grants and $1.6 million from the Federal Transit Administration. Project manager Derek Hug of Fuss & O’Neill spoke out on how this money is crucial towards the construction.

“This approval is fairly necessary for the town. Being the project manager for one of the companies that has designed the bridge, I can strongly say that this bridge will change New Britain for the better. This money is more than necessary in order for us to get there.”

An additional $2.4 million grant has also been proposed but has yet to be issued, according to contractor Jack Thavenius who will be working aside Laviero.

“This money is in the best interest into fixing the bridge. Every penny counts and this will undoubtedly help make a difference,” he stated to council members.

It is this money that will be put towards creating the possible accommodations project workers have planned the bridge to include. The redesign of the connection between downtown New Britain and the section of Little Poland will feature pocket parks on the north end, landscaping and benches, with 5-foot-wide bike lanes and 17 - 21-foot-wide sidewalks.

Principle of the design team for the Beehive Bridge Ted DeSantos, believes that the design for wider bike and sidewalk lanes will ultimately benefit the safety of the community.

“Wider lanes for pedestrians and smaller lanes for cars will encourage slower speeds,” he stated to the council. “These accommodations will create better conditions for all users. The cars will be fine and the traffic will move…but you will also be able to create this smaller scale for all the amenities. The sidewalk, the plants, the art and the architecture of the bridge itself.”

The necessity for planning safer pedestrian traveling is crucial, while also creating a design that draws to the eye.

“Although we are designing something that configures to the everyday traveler, it does not mean we won’t be creating something that isn’t iconic. This will be something that New Britain can be proud of, something classy and willing of showing off,” DeSantos said.

Not just DeSantos, but other community members believe this project to be something rather extraordinary for the city to build.

“This [project] is about creating something from a concept, to a landmark reality,” project contributor Peter Ripochio stated. “Tens of thousand of people will be able to see this eye-catching, unique looking project every day when they drive into the city.”

This almost $18 million dollar project is tentatively set to start construction on April 1st for the city of New Britain. For more information regarding the city’s common council meetings and the Beehive Bridge project, visit newbritainct.gov.