Norwich Public Utilities (NPU) will undertake one of its more challenging water main repair projects during the week of August 16-23 that will require a four-day closing of the 8th Street Bridge in Greeneville to all traffic and the removal of the railroad tracks at 8th Street.

NPU and contractor crews will be working to repair a 20-foot section of a damaged water main that is beneath the Providence & Worcester railroad track. The work has been closely coordinated with the railroad and was scheduled to avoid all rail freight traffic on the line through Norwich.

Between Thursday, August 19 and Monday, August 23, traffic in both directions over the 8th Street Bridge in Greeneville will be detoured along North Main Street, East Main Street, Hamilton Avenue, and Smith Avenue. Signs have been posted to notify the public of the construction schedule and the detour plan.

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (August 16, 17, and 18), NPU and crews from RH White will be mobilizing equipment and conducting the excavation work at the worksite. Traffic will alternate, one way at a time, with flaggers on all three days; the road will be fully open on all three nights. It is possible that gravel surfaces and / or steel plates will be on the road for safety purposes.

On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (August 19, 20, 21, and 22), traffic will be completely closed in both directions over the bridge to allow for the removal of the damaged water main and the installation of the new water main

On Monday, August 24, crews will re-establish the westbound lane of 8th Street to facilitate alternating one-way traffic during the day and two-way traffic at night. This traffic pattern will continue until the entire project is complete.

It is important to keep in mind that given the complexity and difficulty of this project, this schedule could be subject to change.

NPU will post regular updates on its Facebook page on the schedule and progress for the duration of this project.