With a new start date of May 3, work to repair and replace the seawall and sections of timber at Branford Point's Town dock will begin a month later than originally planned, but the Town will still hold the contractor to the original completion timeline of four months from the intended start of April 1, 2021.  Vehicle and pedestrian access to the Branford Point town dock area will be closed during the project, which should be completed no later than July 29, 2021, to meet the Town's deadline.

Although the Town had notified that public on March 20 that work was set to begin on or around April 1, shutting down access to the area, to date it has remained open with no signs of construction. On Friday, April 16, Zip06/The Sound contacted Branford Town Engineer John Hoefferle for an update on the project. Hoefferle responded that the contractor reported the project start was being held up due to longer lead times for lumber than anticipated.

However, he also noted, "The town is holding them to 120 days from the original start date of April 1."

Hoefferle also shared that the contractor, Loureiro Construction, Inc. (Plainville), will be out at the site April 20, weather permitting, to perform some exploratory work, before mobilizing to the site on May 3.

Areas Closed to the Public

The Town will close the Branford Point parking area, wharf, and sidewalks south of the　driveway　circle to the general public to allow contractor use.　Town parking in the lot at Parker Memorial Park accessed from Harbor Street　will remain open for access to the park and Branford Point beach areas.

Work to Be Done

Work to replace failed sections of the seawall beneath the town dock, and to remove and replace significant deterioration wooden wharf structural elements is being funded by the Town at a cost of $450,000.

One end of the wooden wharf will be demolished and replaced with wooden planks that will fit back into the rest of the wharf using a staggered installation, according to the design plan on file with the Town. The section to be replaced is the end section at the Branford River's approach into Branford Harbor. A floating dock and ramp on that side of the wharf will also be removed during construction and replaced as part of the completed project.

The work will include drilling into　bedrock to　create a solid base for some piles to be driven　in at points where the piles would otherwise not reach sufficient mud depth; as well as replacing the deteriorated wharf structural and heavy timber elements.

Residents are invited to direct any questions or comments before or during construction to the Town of Branford　Engineering Department at (203) 315-0606 or email to

engineering@branford-ct.gov