Aundré Bumgardner

I am proud to announce that town of Groton taxpayers will not be paying for the necessary work on the Groton Long Point Road Bridge The federal and state governments will now be covering the estimated $8.4 million cost to replace the bridge.

The Town of Groton was recently accepted into the Connecticut Department of Transportation Design-Build program, which means the town will no longer be on the hook for any spending toward the project. The move will save Groton about $1.7 million in town funds. This is a no brainer for Groton. We're going to make our community more resilient, and safer without spending a dime. This will allow the town to make critical investments in our infrastructure.

The state is now in charge of the bridge replacement initiative. According to the Department of Transportation, federal dollars will pay for at least 80% of the project. The state will contribute up to a 20% match. Design and permitting is slated for this and next year. Construction is expected to begin in 2025-2026.

Having served on the Groton Long Point Bridge Task Force as a member of the Groton Town Council, Rep. Bumgardner wants to thank Town Public Works Director Greg Hannover, the dedicated personnel at the Town of Groton Public Works Department, and the many volunteers that contributed to this exciting opportunity.

"The Town is appreciative that the state will provide its expertise for the design and construction. I also commend the members of the Groton Long Point taskforce including the participation of State Rep Aundré Bumgardner and Town Councilor Portia Bordelon, which helped get us to this point," said Town Manager John Burt. 

The Town of Groton wants to replace the Groton Long Point Road Bridge over Palmer's Cove to improve the safety of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. The other goal is for the bridge to be more resilient to rising sea levels.

The full Town Council will take a final vote on the issue on February 7.