More Digging Than Expected at Kitemaug Road Site

Workers at the site of the Kitemaug Road bridge collapse had to dig far more extensively than the town had first thought, and so the engineers' visit that had been scheduled for Monday has been put off until today.

Mayor Joe Jaskiewicz said Monday that he is hoping to have an evaluation of the problem some time this week.

Erosion from the creek beneath the bridge dislodged stones and loosened the structure that supports the bridge. Though the problem came to light after the heavy rain last week, town workers said they believe that the erosion must have been going on for a while. The flooding that happened a year and a half ago could have been a major culprit, they said last week.

Residents in the area have to take a roundabout detour to reach their homes; the entire 2.8 mile detour takes nearly eight minutes if you drive at the speed limit.

People who live on the detour route say that the increased traffic is too much for the narrow, twisty road, and that drivers unfamiliar with the route have ended up on lawns and in driveways.

Montville Police Lt. Leonard J. Bunnell says he is stationing officers on the road to slow traffic, and will perform selective enforcement procedures, as well.