BL Companies provided surveying, design, and construction support services for the relocation and reconstruction of Canal Street, and the associated replacement of the bridge which is an 80′ Span, reinforced concrete deck on steel beams, supported by reinforced concrete abutments founded on and anchored into bedrock. The work also included 2,000 linear feet of roadway reconstruction from Allen Street to Route 72, and involved design and preparation of construction documents for several local roads that intersect Canal Street. The project was recommended under the CTDOT’s Surface Transportation Program to improve traffic circulation and safety in urban areas.
BL Companies provided land surveying and mapping, preliminary engineering studies, environmental consulting, preliminary and final design, permitting, bidding phase services, and shop drawing review. These services included bridge type studies, geotechnical investigations, boring plans, wetlands evaluations, roadway detour and demolition plans, roadway cross sections and details, hydraulics and drainage, utility and railroad coordination, a maintenance and protection of traffic plan, the design of pavement markings and signage, and traffic and turning movement counts.
Older residences, factory buildings and the presence of an old freight rail line that crosses the project area in several locations characterize this historic section of Town. Extensive research of archived railroad records was performed to establish the railroad’s ownership rights within the roadway areas in order to obtain easements for the construction. In addition, research of adjacent property owner records was performed to determine right of way limits and property lines for land and easement area acquisition. Other surveying assignments included the research of utility company, Town and State records to determine the extent of underground utilities. Field survey was performed to provide horizontal and vertical control, reconcile actual utility locations with the utility records, and provide topographic information in the area surrounding the bridge. Hydraulic cross-sections were taken and a detailed bridge survey was conducted to provide critical elevations to the design team.
