MIDDLEBURY, Conn. - The Corps of Engineers awarded a contract to A&R Electric of Bridgeport, Conn., to perform repairs to the navigation gate electrical control system on January 17, 2014.
The work was originally scheduled to begin in mid-May and take approximately two months to complete. The start date was postponed and work began on September 3, 2014. Work will continue through mid-October.
The work involves the replacement of two existing conduits with four new conduits that run underwater from the west abutment to the east abutment of the Stamford Hurricane Barrier coastal protection project on East Branch Harbor in Stamford, CT. To perform this part of the contract an underwater dive operation is required. This will require the navigation gate to be closed and locked in the upright position. During this period the channel will be closed to all vessel traffic. The date for the navigation gate and channel closure is scheduled from September 16, 2014 through September 23, 2014. A second closure period is scheduled for October 1, 2014 through October 6, 2014. However, due to any unforeseen/unexpected issues, to accommodate the contract work, or for flood control purposes the gate may also need to be closed periodically anytime during the period of this scheduled work.
Interested parties are requested to make appropriate notifications and adjustments in your operating schedules for the period the gate will be closed. The U.S. Coast Guard, New Haven and Governor’s Island, will issue notices to mariners.
The contract consists of replacing multiple electronic components associated with the gate control system and will require testing of the control system. To perform this testing, the navigation gate may need to be closed periodically for short periods. The closures will occur as necessary and should not be longer than two hours. The channel will also be closed to all vessel traffic during these test periods. This work is tentatively scheduled to be performed September 24, 2014 through September 30, 2014.
Any questions concerning the above gate closures, contact the Stamford Hurricane Barrier office at (978) 318-8370 Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To find out specific channel closures, interested parties may also access a pre-recorded message at (203) 348-8955. The Corps of Engineers also recommends mariners monitor Coast Guard announcements for any messages concerning the Stamford Hurricane Barrier. Information on the operational status of the navigation gate can also found online at the
Stamford Hurricane Barrier homepage or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StamfordHurricaneBarrier.