Connecticut

On the horizon: A new Connecticut River crossing for walkers and cyclists

Published

1 year ago

April 29, 2024

On the horizon: A new Connecticut River crossing for walkers and cyclists

Cyclists and pedestrians will have a new route across the Connecticut River starting next month, when the opening of the long-awaited multi-purpose trail along the Putnam Bridge creates a scenic connection between Wethersfield and Glastonbury.

Contractors have completed the roughly 1.4-mile paved trail, and the state transportation department expects to open it in mid-May.

“People are going to enjoy it. There probably won’t be a deluge of people going to either town, but I think it will surprise some people how often it gets used,” said Kevin T. Sullivan, co-founder of Bike Walk Wethersfield, a prominent advocacy group for cyclists and pedestrians.

The project took two years and has spurred planners in both towns to look for ways to link established cycling routes to what is being called the Putnam Bridge Trail.

The new pedestrian and cycling trail on the Putnam Bridge between Glastonbury and Wethersfield. (Courtesy of Connecticut Department of Transportation)

Walkers and cyclists will be able to go from Great Meadow Road in Wethersfield to Naubuc Avenue in Glastonbury.

The Putnam carries about 55,000 cars and trucks each day, but until now non-motorized traffic had to take an 8-mile trip to the Charter Oak Bridge in Hartford to cross the river. Alternatives to the south required an even greater detour: 26 miles to the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown and back, or else 11 miles to the seasonal Glastonbury-Rocky Hill ferry.

The new Putnam Bridge Trail between Glastonbury and Wethersfield. (Courtesy of Connecticut Department of Transportation)

The plan is for trail connections on the east side of the river to reach the Goodwin College trails in East Hartford, while on the west side Wethersfield planners are putting together a temporary route to Main Street in Old Wethersfield.

Eventually the town plans a permanent, dedicated trail for that, and Wethersfield officials are meeting in May to give a public update about progress.

Sullivan said recreational riders can do 10- or 15-mile rides using connector routes from the bridge trail, but said he anticipates that most of the use will be from people traveling locally.

“I’ve heard from quite a few people regionally who are excited about it, but I don’t know if they’re planning to ride it or they’re just happy to have more trail connections,” he said Thursday. “My personal bet is that more people will be using it for everyday transportation.”

Wethersfield resident Joseph Sica, who was out riding near the oil tanks along the river recently, said he’s looking forward to the bridge route opening. But he questioned whether there will be enough routes to connect with after getting to the other side.

“Sometimes I do 10 miles a day. I like going over a bridge, so I’ll definitely go over to the other side. But there really aren’t many places to go over there, so maybe I’ll just turn around and come back,” Sica said.

Early corrosion on the underside of the Putnam Bridge. A large-scale rehabilitation job in 2026 and 2027 will address this. (Courtesy of Connecticut Department of Transportation and TranSystems)

With the trail work done, the state department of transportation is now turning its attention to a makeover for the bridge itself.

In a presentation earlier this month, DOT planners said they anticipate launching a major rehabilitation project in the spring 2026 that will run through the end of 2027.

The bridge is 64 years old and is suffering corrosion that needs to be addressed, the DOT said. The plan is to replace any deficient structural elements and make repairs to extend its life by 20 to 25 years.

The Putnam isn’t at risk right now, but overall gets just a five rating — “fair” — on a scale of one (imminent failure) to nine (excellent), according to Tracey Brais, a DOT project manager, and Ron Sacchi, project manager for the GM2 consulting firm.

Corrosion on the Putnam Bridge will be addressed by a two-year rehabilitation project planned by the state transportation department. (Courtesy of Connecticut Department of Transportation and TranSystems.)

“There appears to be some seepage through the deck that’s starting to produce corrosion,” Sacchi said.

Workers will replace expansion joints, patch the deck, strengthen steel support elements, strip the asphalt off the bridge deck and repave the roadway, the DOT said.

The four-lane bridge will be repaired in stages, with one lane in each direction kept open and most lane closures limited to nights and weekends, the DOT said.

“When we’re doing top of the deck repairs, we’ll probably have to close one lane in each direction,” Sacchi said. “If more lane closures are required it might involve a weekend closure that would involve a detour over the Charter Oak Bridge. At this point, we are not expecting any long-term closures or long-term detours.”

Federal grants will pay 80% of the cost, with Connecticut covering the other 20%. Brais said planners are still evaluating the cost, which could vary from a base of $31.4 million to slightly more than double that if the entire bridge undergoes repainting.

The cost of removing the bridge’s existing lead paint makes up most of the difference, largely because contractors would need to use a containment system to prevent contamination from falling paint chips.

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Connecticut

Connecticut influencer busted for going 112-mph over the speed limit after sharing video of the stunt online

Published

2 hours ago

May 24, 2025

Press Room

Connecticut influencer busted for going 112-mph over the speed limit after sharing video of the stunt online

A social media influencer in Connecticut who filmed himself driving at a whopping 137-miles per hour got busted after he shared footage of the stunt online.

Giovanni Petruzziello who owns a high-end car repair shop in North Haven, filmed himself driving his Porche zipping through a 25 mph zone at the breathtaking speed.

Petruzziello, 27, then shared the footage with his 250,000-plus Instagram followers.

Connecticut State Police allege Petruzziello reached speeds up to five times the posted limits on residential streets in the towns of Durham, Haddam, and Killingworth, reported the Daily Voice.

Petruzziello also allegedly filmed himself driving a Ferrari at 88 mph in a neighborhood with a 30 mph speed limit, the site reported.

Another video shows him allegedly driving a Lamborghini at 112 mph on Route 79 in Durham, which has a posted speed limit of 45 mph.

Petruzziello also allegedly blew through stop signs and nearly hit other vehicles, the videos showed.

He was arrested during a May 19 traffic stop, and posted $150,000 bond for his release.

He was charged with seven counts of reckless driving and three counts of second-degree reckless endangerment.

The arrest comes a month after a dardeviling Connecticut motorcyclist was busted for YouTube videos he made, speeding down the highway at almost 200 miles an hour.

Petruzziello is the founder and owner of The LAB — short for Legends Auto Boutique.

The LAB customizes luxury and high-end foreign vehicles, according to its website.

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Connecticut

Connecticut expands medical debt relief to 100,000 more residents: Who is eligible

Published

19 hours ago

May 24, 2025

Press Room

Connecticut expands medical debt relief to 100,000 more residents: Who is eligible

More than 100,000 Connecticut residents will soon receive letters notifying them of medical debt relief, according to a community announcement.

Gov. Ned Lamont announced May 21 that the second round of an initiative, launched last year in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, is underway. The program aims to eliminate medical debt for residents who meet specific income criteria.

Undue Medical Debt negotiates with hospitals and other providers to eliminate large portfolios of qualifying medical debt. To qualify, residents must have an income at or below four times the federal poverty level or have medical debt that is 5% or more of their income.

In this round, the state invested $575,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funding. Undue Medical Debt was able to negotiate with a secondary market partner to acquire and eliminate more than $100 million in qualifying medical debt. The first round, which occurred in December, eliminated approximately $30 million in medical debt for 23,000 residents.

Those who have been identified for relief will receive a branded envelope and letter from Undue Medical Debt in the mail over the next several days. (To view a sample of what this letter looks like, click here.)

“Medical debt causes additional anxiety and stress when individuals and families are coping with potentially life-threatening health situations,” Lamont said. “Over the next few days, more than 100,000 Connecticut residents who have been struggling to pay their medical bills will feel relief when they receive letters in the mail notifying them that their debt has been erased. I am hopeful that additional medical partners will soon sign onto this program to help more Connecticut families through further rounds of this initiative.”

Allison Sesso, CEO and president of Undue Medical Debt, expressed gratitude for the state’s continued partnership in providing medical debt relief.

“The erasure of these debts of necessity wouldn’t be possible without community-minded leaders like Governor Lamont and his team, who believe medical debt should not be a hindrance to seeking needed care,” Sesso said. “We look forward to continuing our work in the state so families can seek healthcare with dignity.”

State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, co-chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee, also praised the initiative.

“Medical debt can be a crippling burden on patients, especially those who are already struggling to make ends meet,” Vahey said. “Erasing medical debt for an additional 100,000 residents will greatly ease the stress they are facing and will free them up to focus on their health and well-being. Thank you to Governor Lamont and Undue Medical Debt for their leadership on this innovative program.”

There is no application process for this relief, as the debt erasure occurs through the purchase of large, qualifying bundled portfolios of debt from participating partners like hospitals and collection agencies.

Lamont plans to continue partnering with Undue Medical Debt for further rounds of medical debt cancellation. The governor and the Connecticut General Assembly have enacted legislation that makes $6.5 million in ARPA funding available for this initiative.

This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct or share your thoughts at http://bit.ly/3RapUkA with our News Automation and AI team.

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Connecticut

How to watch the Connecticut Sun basketball game against the Atlanta Dream May 25

Published

1 day ago

May 23, 2025

Press Room

How to watch the Connecticut Sun basketball game against the Atlanta Dream May 25

The Connecticut Sun will take on the Atlanta Dream on the road May 25.

Atlanta finished the 2024 regular season with a record of 15-25, good for fourth place in the WNBA’s Eastern Conference. Following the 2024 regular season, Atlanta lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Liberty 2-0.

The Dream’s roster that was announced prior to the 2025 regular season featured a blend of experience and emerging stars. One of the highlights of that roster was Brittney Griner. Her extensive list of career highlights includes 10 WNBA All-Star Game selections and three All-WNBA First Team selections

Here’s how to watch the Connecticut Sun game against the Atlanta Dream May 25.