A public information meeting is being held in Ridgefield tonight about the replacement of the Portland Avenue bridge over the Norwalk River.  The meeting is at 7:30pm in Ridgefield Town Hall. 

The state Department of Transportation says the bridge is functionally obsolete.  The 27-foot span was built in 1928. 

The proposed replacement will have two 11 foot wide travel lanes, a 10-foot wide dedicated right turn lane, two-foot shoulders, and a concrete sidewalk.  The proposed replacement will be precast concrete, supported by integral abutments founded on piles.  The clear span length of the proposed budget will be about 36-feet long, curb to curb.

Construction will require four weekend closures and a one week closure of Portland Avenue.  The detour will use Routes 107/57 and 7.  The project is not expected to start until 2022, based on the availability of funding and environmental permits.  The project is estimated to cost $2.21 million and will be funded with 80-percent federal aid and 20-percent municipal dollars.