Connecticut Department of Transportation staff and consultants presented a maintenance-and-protection-of-traffic (MPT) plan on Nov. 17 to repair culvert/bridge 7023 beneath I‑95 and West Avenue. The Norwalk City Traffic Authority approved the plan after questioning and technical clarifications.

Prashant Chandra of CDOT told the authority the project has been delayed but is prioritized for 2026; contractors and subcontractors are lined up to start the work. Mike Sheffley, lead traffic engineer for BL Companies, said the culvert (Bridge 7023 / Culvert 70-23) — constructed in 1955 — is rated a “2,” which Sheffley called critical. The proposed rehabilitation includes slip-lining the culvert, separating some storm flows into a new parallel storm-drain system with 48‑inch reinforced concrete pipes and adding a 72‑inch connection to increase overall hydraulic capacity.

Sheffley reviewed a four-stage traffic-management sequence with distinct day/night restrictions: lane restrictions on the Route 7 ramp, alternating one-way police-controlled traffic during the most restrictive stage, and prohibitions on lane-take closures during busy weekend periods. He said signal timings along West Avenue had been reviewed and that the revised MPT allows a maximum of four weeks to complete the crossing work (roughly one week per stage, subject to change). The presentation included traffic volumes: approximately 7,000 vehicles per day on the ramp and about 19,000 vehicles per day on West Avenue.

Authority members asked whether the work would add water to the Norwalk River or affect water quality. CDOT and BL Companies representatives said the project does not add additional water — it realigns existing stormwater — and that any environmental permitting or quality concerns would be managed through DOT processes; they also noted the state MS4 stormwater program applies in the area. When asked about lining lifespan, Sheffley said the proposed lining would have an expected lifespan of about 75 years.

After questions about signal timing, police postings and stage durations, the traffic authority voted to approve the MPT design change so the contractor may proceed. The approval directs the contractor to coordinate police staffing, signage and stakeholder notifications as the work begins.