Historic Yantic Village stone bridge being restored
The historic Sunnyside Bridge over the Yantic River in the Yantic section of Norwich is getting repaired.
Norwich — A giant granite block jigsaw puzzle project is underway in the historic Yantic mill village, where bridge construction and masonry specialists are meticulously disassembling and reassembling the 1905 Sunnyside Road bridge over the Yantic River.
The $2 million project, funded with 80% federal highway grants and 20% city funding, had been planned for several years, city Public Works Director Patrick McLaughlin said. But city officials decided early on to wait for a state Department of Transportation rule change that would allow federal highway funds to be used for rehabilitation of historic bridges, rather than replacement with modern structures.
The bridge is only 18 feet wide, with a sidewalk along the south side and alternating one-way traffic. It still provides the only access to about 40 to 50 homes in the Yantic mill village. The historic restoration means the bridge will not be widened, but the asphalt sidewalk has been ripped out and will be replaced with a stamped-pattern concrete walkway…