From the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce
the Chamber’s Arrigoni Bridge Emergency Management Sub-Committee named Portland Fire Department Chief and Director of Emergency Management Robert Shea as its co-chairman.
The committee was formed in February to manage the concerns of the fire, police and emergency personnel of the following towns: Colchester, Cromwell, East Haddam, East Hampton, Glastonbury, Marlborough, Middletown, and Portland, along with Hunter’s Ambulance. Each of these stakeholders will be impacted in some way during the state’s upcoming repairs to the Arrigoni Bridge.
Chief Shea will direct the committee as it begins the communication of public safety issues that the State will need to address and make necessary changes to the repair plan of the bridge based on the committee’s decisions.
Topics of concern to the Sub-Committee are the review of the current bridge diversion plan in Portland and Middletown and the effects of additional traffic, the set-up of an alternate Life Star landing zone east of the bridge, the review of Hunter’s and Middlesex Hospital medical response to towns east of the bridge and the need for standby coverage, the establishment of primary and secondary transportation locations, the review of mutual aid alarm procedures, radio communication between construction supervisors, Middletown Car 3 and Portland Command at all times, and river hazards for boating traffic during construction and effects on the channel.
The next meeting of the Arrigoni Bridge Committee will be on Friday, March 18, 2011 at
9:30 a.m. at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, 393 Main St. Middletown.
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At this morning's meeting of the Chamber's Central Business Bureau, we heard that the bridge work will begin in July. Traffic will be reduced to 2 lanes, not 3 as many hoped, so we can expect traffic back-up. One sidewalk will remain open;perhaps there will be more people who leave their car in Portland and bike to Middletown. The Mayor and the Chamber have been active addressing the regional implications of this work, which effects communities such as Colchester and Glastonbury. Mayor Giuliano also referred to concerns about the bridge below the water level, which apparently are not being addressed in this project according to current plans, as well as a less than adequate state budget to reduce emergencies and accidents which will surely happen.
With construction taking place on Main Street in Middletown just this side of the bridge, at the new Community Health Center and the rebuilding on the site of the collapsed building next to the Salvation Army, we should have an interesting year ahead. Think of it as a time to grow in patience.
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