The state Department of Transportation plans to widen the sidewalk across the southbound Gold Star Memorial Bridge between Groton and New London so it is safer and easier to access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Tracey Brais, project manager with the DOT, told a room of more than 30 people in New London City Hall’s Council Chambers Monday evening that the DOT is excited about the $55 million project and thinks it’s going to create many improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians across the Thames River.

Brais and project representatives unveiled the plan at a public information meeting held Monday evening at City Hall and by Zoom.

Some attendees, while appreciating the proposed project, had suggestions such as creating more safety improvements in the areas near the bridge and adding signs for those who use the path. They also had concerns about the impacts of construction and the reduction of a lane on the southbound bridge.

Brais, who outlined the project to The Day, said the existing sidewalk, on the approximately 1-mile-long southbound span, is about five-feet wide, though it narrows down to about three feet in some areas due to lights and overhead sign structures. She said the existing path is very narrow for pedestrians and bicyclists to travel in both directions.

The project calls for widening the path to about 14-feet for most of the length, and about 11 feet in some areas to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic in both directions, she said.

The project also calls for widening the sidewalks approaching the bridge to 10 feet and adding deterrents to prevent mopeds and ATVs, which use the path even though they are prohibited from doing so, from accessing it.

On the New London side, the path currently terminates in Bailey Circle. The DOT plans to construct a new side path ending at Williams Street, she said.

On the Groton side, the DOT is proposing to install a roundabout at the intersection at the Interstate 95 on-and-off ramps and Bridge Street, she said.

One car lane to be eliminated

The sidewalk expansion project will result in the reduction of one lane on the southbound bridge, she said.

Brais said the southbound span currently has six lanes at the east end of the bridge and then it narrows down to five lanes. Once completed, the bridge will be mostly four lanes instead of five lanes as it is now.

Brais said the DOT did a traffic analysis and found the proposed change won’t really affect the level of service. She said the bridge’s original design has extra capacity built-in because there are two lanes from the Bridge Street on-ramp to I-95 southbound, and the DOT found one lane would be sufficient, based on current and projected traffic volumes.

The DOT anticipates construction will start in the spring 2028 and be completed in the fall of 2029, she said.

The northbound span of the bridge will be under rehabilitation at the same time, but the planned rerouting of two northbound lanes to the southbound span, anticipated to begin in 2026, is expected to be completed by the spring of 2028.

The DOT also will strengthen steel on the southbound bridge, with an anticipated project timeline from June 2025 through July 2026, Brais said.

The sidewalk project is estimated to cost $55 million, to be paid for with 90% federal funds and 10% state funds, Brais said.

Brais said the DOT has been working with the cities of New London and Groton to understand their revitalization plans and their plans to improve bike and pedestrian travel. She said the project will help create better bicycle and pedestrian connections on both sides of the bridge.

Overall, an estimated 6,500 Groton and New London residents typically walk or bike to work. She said there’s a lot of opportunity for more people to start using the path for commuting and recreational purposes if the state makes it a safer and a better experience.

State Rep. Christine Conley, D-Groton, said she’s very excited to see improvements to the bridge, but asked for more information about the construction impacts. She said she and the delegation also would like to take a look at the traffic study and the impacts of reducing a lane on the southbound bridge.

Brais said the DOT will post construction schedules on its website.

Brian Sheffer, a Groton City resident, said in an interview before the meeting that he primarily commutes by bike to work at Electric Boat in New London. He said when new pieces of concrete for signs were installed a few years ago, it made the path narrower in spots. He said if a scooter is traveling the other way while he is cycling, it can be dangerous.

Sheffer said he typically gets on the bridge on the Groton side around Bliven Street and Riverview Avenue and avoids the Bridge Street intersection because of the traffic. He said the roundabout would not entice him to use that area, and he will continue to access the bridge from where he does now.

Matt Thomas, a Groton resident, said in an interview before the meeting that he crosses the bridge on bike multiple times a week, both to commute to his job in Old Lyme and for recreation. He said the existing path is “barely adequate” because it’s too narrow.

He said he thinks the improvement project “makes a lot of sense” and will certainly address the path being too narrow and hopefully also will make the on and off ramps safer for bicyclists.

According to the presentation, the path will remain closed for up to 1.5 years during construction but a shuttle to New London will be provided.

The DOT said people can comment on the sidewalk improvement project, known as Project No. 0094-0267, and ask questions by July 8 by emailing DOT.GoldStarBridgeProjects@ct.gov or calling (860) 594-2020.

More information on the projects being planned for the bridge is available at https://portal.ct.gov/dot/bridges/project-pages/gold-star-memorial-bridge.

k.drelich@theday.com