The existing Walk Bridge carries four tracks of Metro-North Railroad’s (MNR) New Haven Line (NHL), which runs between New Haven, Connecticut and Mount Vernon, New York, and is part of the Northeast Corridor (NEC). The NHL is currently used for MNR’s commuter rail service, Amtrak passenger rail service, and freight rail service operated by the Providence and Worcester Railroad. The NHL right of way (ROW) and rail infrastructure within Connecticut, including Walk Bridge, are owned by the State of Connecticut, and maintained by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT). 

CTDOT proposes to replace the existing four-span Walk Bridge with a new multi-span bridge, including 240-foot dual lift spans with fixed east and west approach spans over the Norwalk River in Connecticut. Additional elements of the project include: 

• east and west approach embankments and retaining walls; 
• signal work; 
• removal of high towers and rerouting of high-voltage transmission lines; 
• a new bridge fender system in the waterway; and 
•  track and systems work extending from the MNR Railroad Mainline interface at the Danbury Branch “Wye” to just west of the Fort Point Street Bridge. 

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

In 2016, CTDOT, in coordination with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Walk Bridge Replacement Project (Project) to evaluate potential impacts to the human and natural environment, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FRA was a Cooperating Agency in the development of the EA. FTA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Project’s EA on July 17, 2017, and subsequently approved two NEPA re-evaluations on September 19, 2019, and March 12, 2021. 

FRA selected CTDOT to receive funding under its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 and FY 2020 Federal-State Partnership (FSP) for State of Good Repair Grant Program toward final design and construction of the Project.

To satisfy its NEPA obligations for the provision of FSP grant funds to CTDOT for the Project, FRA adopted FTA’s EA and NEPA re-evaluations, which are available on CTDOT’s Project NEPA webpage and through CDOT’s Environmental/Intermodal Documents eLibrary. FRA approved its own FONSI for the Project on April 28, 2022.

FRA Points of Contact

Environmental Review
Lydia Kachadoorian, Registered Professional Archaeologist 15668
FRA Environmental Protection Specialist
Office of Infrastructure Investment
(781) 227-0778
lydia.kachadoorian@dot.gov 

Media Queries Contact
Email: FRAPA@dot.gov