A portion of land directly behind the Deep River Fire Department’s Winthrop Station, at 453 Winthrop Road in Deep River, is being donated to Deep River.

The land, which is a little more than half an acre, is part of an 11.80-acre parcel, and house, at 6 Westbrook Road, which assumed new ownership in 2018. The George C. Field Company now owns the property, according to First Selectman Angus McDonald, by phone.

“The new owner of the property has been in communication with the Deep River Fire Department and has proposed to donate the land to the town to be used for the existing Winthrop Fire House,” said McDonald, at a June 8 Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting.

McDonald said the process for the land to be donated is in its initial stages, but that the land is usable.

“It’s dry land,” said McDonald. “Some of it is inside the 100-foot review area, but not all of it.”

The Fire Department is headquartered at 57 Union Street in Deep River. The Winthrop Station is the town’s second location for fire services. It is also being used for police services, said McDonald.

The donated land could help the Fire Department with added parking, or a possible expansion.

“The Fire Department is very happy to have that for the ability not so much to expand the fire house, although that might happen down the road, but mostly to add some parking. Maybe add a garage bay back there, or something like that,” said McDonald.

It’s anticipated that the BOS will take action on the land donation after the proposal is reviewed by the town attorney and any other required town boards or commissions, such as zoning.

Another item discussed at the June 8 BOS meeting was restricting commercial motor vehicle traffic on Kelsey Hill Road in Deep River during the Deep River bridge replacement project. The project necessitates the closing of Route 80 and a detour of traffic.

“The traffic is going to increase [on Kelsey Hill Road], just because the locals need to get back and forth. If we start throwing commercial activity...up there, it’s really dangerous,” said McDonald.

The BOS authorized McDonald to install signs limiting the road to local traffic and to work with the State Traffic Commission to restrict commercial through-traffic.

The road closure is anticipated to end on Aug. 26, according to a written statement from the state Department of Transportation (DOT). Alternating one-way traffic is anticipated on the road from Aug. 26 to Sept. 25. The project’s end date is scheduled for October 16.

State DOT Detour Routes Due to Bridge Closure

Detour – Route 80 East:

The detour begins at the intersection of Route 80 East (Winthrop Street) and Warsaw Street. At this intersection, proceed straight east onto Warsaw Street for 1.9 miles. When Warsaw Street terminates at Main Street, turn left onto Main Street and proceed east for 1.7 miles. At the intersection of Route 154 (Deep River Road) and Main Street, turn left on Route 154 North and proceed 1 mile until the junction with Route 9. Take a left onto the on-ramp for Route 9 North and proceed to Exit 5. Exit the highway at Exit 5 and at the end of the off-ramp turn right onto Route 80 East.

Detour – Route 80 West:

The detour begins at the junction of Route 80 West (Elm Street) and Route 9. At the junction, take a right onto the on-ramp for Route 9 south and proceed to Exit 4. Exit the highway at Exit 4 and at the end of the off-ramp turn right onto Route 154 south (Deep River Road). Proceed 0.9 miles on Route 154 south. At the intersection with Main Street, take a right onto Main Street and proceed west for 1.7 miles until you intersect Warsaw Street. Turn right onto Warsaw Street and proceed west 1.9 miles until you intersect Route 80. Proceed straight at the intersection back onto Route 80 West.