Amtrak Old Saybrook–Old Lyme Bridge

{{Infobox Bridge

| bridge_name = Amtrak Old Saybrook–Old Lyme Bridge

| image = File:Connecticut River Bridge from Ferry Landing State Park (1), May 2014.JPG

| image_size = 300px

| caption = The bridge with its draw span open in May 2014

| official_name =

| carries = Two railroad tracks with overhead lines (Northeast Corridor)

| crosses = Connecticut River

| locale = Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut

| owner = Amtrak

| id =

| designer = Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company, Chicago

| design = Baltimore truss bridge with a bascule span

| mainspan = {{convert|161|ft|m}}

| spans = 9 fixed + 1 bascule

| material = Steel

| length = {{convert|1659.6|ft|m}}

| width =

| height =

| load =

| clearance =

| below = {{convert|18|feet|m}} (closed)
{{convert|68|feet|m}} (open)

| traffic = 58 daily trains:
38 Amtrak intercity trains
14 Shore Line East commuter trains
6 P&W freight trains

| begin =

| complete = 1907

| open =

| closed =

| coordinates = {{coord|41.3108|-72.3492|region:US-CT_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

}}

The Amtrak Old Saybrook–Old Lyme Bridge (Connecticut River Bridge) is a railroad bridge that carries the Northeast Corridor over the Connecticut River between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut. It is the southernmost crossing of the river before it reaches Long Island Sound. The bridge is a truss bridge with a bascule span, allowing boat traffic to pass through. The bridge is owned by Amtrak; it is used by Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela intercity trains, Shore Line East local trains, and Providence and Worcester Railroad freight trains. A $1.3 billion replacement bridge began construction in 2024 with completion scheduled for 2031.

History

File:Postcard of Connecticut River railroad bridge construction.jpg

The bridge was built in 1907 by the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge Company of Chicago for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. It replaced an earlier bridge, which was built in 1870 and rebuilt on the same piers in 1889.{{Cite book |title=The Rail Lines of Southern New England |last=Karr |first=Ronald Dale |publisher=Branch Line Press |year=1995 |isbn=0942147022 |page=95}} The old single-track bridge was no longer able to handle the train frequency and weights that the New Haven wished to run. Construction of the new bridge began in May 1905, and the substructure was completed in April 1906. The bridge was built with two-track spans, with the abutments long enough for a second set of spans should quadruple-tracking of the line take place.{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xp84AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA87 |first=J.H. |last=Soehrens |pages=87–95 |title=The New Connecticut River Bridge |journal=Papers and Transactions for 1906 and Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting |publisher=Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers |year=1907}} The new bridge opened on August 6, 1907.{{cite news |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/opinion/article/LOCAL-HISTORY-Looking-back-at-the-Conn-River-RR-16954263.php |title=LOCAL HISTORY: Looking back at the Conn River RR bridge, over 100 years |newspaper=CT Insider |first=Tedd |last=Levy |date=September 24, 2012 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |archive-date=November 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101053741/https://www.ctinsider.com/opinion/article/LOCAL-HISTORY-Looking-back-at-the-Conn-River-RR-16954263.php |url-status=dead }}

The bridge underwent a structural rehabilitation in 1976, and had mechanical and electrical rehabilitation in 1981 and 1997. In 2000 the bridge experienced a major electrical failure which rendered the drawspan stuck in the open position (blocking railroad traffic).{{Cite web |url=https://heavymovablestructures.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/00913.pdf |first=Paul X. |last=O'Neill, Jr. |first2=Alex |last2=Ostrovsky |date=October 22, 2002 |title=Failure and Quick Recovery of Movable Bridge on the Acela Line}} The bridge became stuck in the closed position twice in 2001.{{Cite news |url=https://www.courant.com/2001/08/24/aging-bridge-causes-delays/ |title=Aging Bridge Causes Delays |last=Overton |first=Penelope |date=August 24, 2001 |work=Hartford Courant}} A 2006 inspection found the bridge to be structurally deficient and determined that periodic rehabilitation work was no longer sufficient to keep the century-old bridge functional. The bridge was determined to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, but it was not finally listed due to owner objection.{{NRISref|version=2009a|refnum=87002125}}{{Cite web |url={{NRHP url|id=64000097}} |title=Movable Railroad Bridges on the NE Corridor in Connecticut TR |last=Bruce Clouette, Matthew Roth and John Herzan |date=February 4, 1986 |publisher=National Park Service}} National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form.

=Replacement=

The structurally deficient bridge is planned for replacement. An Environmental Assessment released in May 2014 identified two preferred alternatives: a bascule bridge similar in size to the existing span, or a vertical lift bridge with possibly increased clearances. Either option would be built on a parallel alignment just south of the existing bridge. Fully high-level designs without movable sections were eliminated from consideration due to the massive approaches that would have to be built, which would have major impacts on nearby wetlands and increase construction and land acquisition costs.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L05239 |title=Connecticut River Bridge Replacement Project: Environmental Assessment & Section 4(f) Evaluation |date=May 28, 2014 |publisher=Federal Railroad Administration |access-date=April 14, 2016 |archive-date=November 1, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101110435/http://www.fra.dot.gov/eLib/Details/L05239 |url-status=dead }} Construction staging plans were released in April 2020. Those plans call for a replacement bascule bridge {{convert|52|feet|m}} south of the existing span, with clearance in the closed position increased from {{convert|18|feet|m}} to {{convert|24|feet|m}}.{{cite news |url=https://ctexaminer.com/2020/05/14/400-million-connecticut-river-railroad-bridge-replacement-takes-a-step-forward-design-details-announced |title=$400 Million Connecticut River Railroad Bridge Replacement Takes a Step Forward, Design Details Announced |first=Cate |last=Hewitt |newspaper=Connecticut Examiner |date=May 14, 2020}} Operating speed will increase from {{convert|45|mph}} over the existing bridge to {{convert|70|mph}} over the new bridge.

Amtrak and CTDOT were awarded $65.2 million in federal funds for the replacement in October 2020.{{cite news |url=https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/USDOT-awards-rail-repair-grants-for-projects-in-Connecticut-NJ-California--61949 |title=USDOT awards rail-repair grants for projects in Connecticut, NJ, California |newspaper=Progressive Railroading |date=October 28, 2020}} By October 2022, Amtrak planned to begin the procurement process in early 2023 and award the construction contract later that year. Construction was to begin in early 2024.{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2022/10/amtrak-begins-procurement-for-construction-of-new-connecticut-river-bridge/ |title=Amtrak Begins Procurement for Construction of New Connecticut River Bridge |date=October 28, 2022 |publisher=Amtrak}} In mid-2023, Amtrak applied for a federal grant to replace the bridge.{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2023/06/amtrak-applies-for-7-3-billion-in-federal-grants-to-advance-northeast-corridor-infrastructure-upgrades/ |title=Amtrak Applies for $7.3 Billion in Federal Grants to Advance Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Upgrades |date=June 5, 2023 |publisher=Amtrak}} Amtrak was awarded $827 million in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds in November 2023. Amtrak will contribute an additional $148 million, while the state of Connecticut will provide $58 million.{{cite web |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/2023-11/FY%2022-23%20FSP-NEC%20Program%20Selections%20-%20Project%20Summaries_PDFa_0.pdf |title=FY 2022-2023 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program for the Northeast Corridor (FSP-NEC) Selections: Project Summaries |date=November 6, 2023 |publisher=Federal Railroad Administration}}{{Cite press release |date=November 6, 2023 |title=FACT SHEET: President Biden Advances Vision for World Class Passenger Rail by Delivering Billions in New Funding |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/11/06/fact-sheet-president-biden-advances-vision-for-world-class-passenger-rail-by-delivering-billions-in-new-funding/ |publisher=The White House}} Amtrak awarded the construction contract to a joint venture of O&G and Tutor Perini in June 2024. Total project cost is expected to be $1.3 billion.{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2024/06/amtrak-awards-contract-to-build-new-connecticut-river-bridge/ |title=Amtrak Awards Contract to Build New Connecticut River Bridge |date=June 28, 2024 |publisher=Amtrak}} Construction began in September 2024, with completion expected in 2031.{{cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2024/09/amtrak-and-partners-break-ground-on-new-connecticut-river-bridge/ |date=September 5, 2024 |title=Amtrak and Partners Break Ground on New Connecticut River Bridge |publisher=Amtrak}}