MDC will be investigating and rehabilitating old sewers in Central Row, Main Street and Market Street area over the next couple of months.
Starting November 3, 2025, sewer investigations, repairs and some new pipe installation will begin on Central Row between Main and Prospect St. Central Row eastbound will be closed to vehicular traffic from approximately 10AM to 6PM weekdays for about 3 weeks. Vehicular traffic headed on east on Central Row will be detoured around the closure during this time period.
Upon completion of work on Central Row, we will be moving our work to Main Street in front of State House Square south to past the Travelers Building. In this next phase, we will be rehabilitating the sewer pipe with cured in place pipe (CIPP) (see further details about CIPP below). There is a 16-hour cure time required for the CIPP and we will be in this location for about a week.
Upon completion of work on Central Row, we will be moving our work to Main Street in front of State House Square south to past the Travelers Building. In this phase, we will be rehabilitating the sewer pipe with cured in place pipe (CIPP) (see further details about CIPP below). There is a 16-hour cure time required for the CIPP and we will be in this location for about a week.
Then we will begin investigations on Market Street from Kinsley to State Street starting in early December. More detailed information will be provided on this location as we proceed.
MDC has coordinated this work with the City of Hartford, CT Transit and other vital stakeholders and we apologize for the inconvenience during this time period. Businesses will remain open and sidewalks will remain open to pedestrian traffic.
The MDC also has a Google Traffic Map for all active construction projects:
https://www.mdc-roadclosures.com/liveupdates/index.php
Project Documents
Project Presentation
Project Construction Flyer 10.27.25
History of Hartford’s Sewer System
The sewers being investigated and rehabilitated date back to 1865. Typically in that era, sewers were constructed with brick. Over the years in an effort to reduce extraneous infiltration of groundwater into the sewer system and extend the longevity of the system, MDC has embarked on an aggressive sewer rehabilitation program. The MDC typically utilizes a “trenchless technology” called cured in place pipe (CIPP), whereby a new pipe is installed within the older failing pipe. If the older host pipe is still in a good enough condition, CIPP lining is employed.
Sometimes we have to perform a point repair (via excavation) in a certain part of the an older failing pipe before we can successfully perform CIPP installation. This is determined by an inspection that is conducted with robotic cameras prior to attempting to install the CIPP. With CIPP a new structurally sound pipe is installed within the older failing brick sewer pipe, without digging or with limited digging in some instances and in a much faster timeframe. CIPP installation is performed by pulling a resin-impregnated felt-type liner through the host pipe.
his liner is then inflated to match diameter and shape of the host pipe, and then “cured” by ways of heat. When cured, this liner becomes a new pipe, similar in characteristics to a segment of plastic pipe. This heat can be applied either from steam or hot water. Once the curing process is complete, existing connections from buildings or catch basins are reinstated by “cutting” the new cured pipe in the location of these connections. (diagram or photo from lining process from DEEP quarterly update presentations)
Project information
Consent Order Project / CSO Grant/Loan DEEP Funding
Several phases of critical Large Diameter Sewer Rehabilitation, with Phase 3A
Part 1 (currently in construction) $3.5M – (Contract #2023B-04)
Part 2 (currently in the bidding phase) $4.0M
Part 3 (currently in design) estimated $10.5M
$18M for all three parts, which includes ~ 40,000 LF Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP)
Rehabilitation of the brick sewer mains installed (1863 to 1928) in Hartford
Substantial Completion: Part 1 – December 2025
Key project efforts:
Address Urgent Structural Failures of the Pipe
CIPP lining of the existing Brick/Tile Sewer Mains
Install new PVC sewer were practicable
Handle the traffic matters such as CT Transit, Pedestrians & Street Traffic
Outreach to Stakeholders