Landmark Conn. bridge torn down

North Stonington, Conn. (WTNH) - A landmark piece of town history is now history after severe spring flooding brought bits and pieces of it tumbling down.

Monday, the town of North Stonington removed what was left of its landmark bridge.

It took about four hours to clear the rocks, steel, and cement that had been the historic bridge. For more than a century it has been the centerpiece of North Stonington.

“It's sad in one sense, a part of history in another,” said Tim Suchocki, of Suchocki & Son.

It’s a bittersweet job for Suchocki who grew up in the town and who watched the March floods destroy the bridge, the iconic Watermark Café, and the historic building that housed it, which sat along side of the bridge.

“There was some townspeople that I knew growing up and I seen them.. they actually had tears in their eyes.”

“Everyday I drive by and I look at it,” commented Veronica Venturin of North Stonington. “It's kind of sad to see but I knew it was going to happen, so I just came to take some pictures.”

Venturin brought her son and his friend to see the removal. “So they have memories of it, too. They saved all the newspaper clippings.”

North Stonington resident Mary Creekmore watched with amazement. “I’ve never seen this done before.”

The bridge, which was unsafe to pass, had to be removed because the tons of rocks which were used as fill were falling into the river causing concern they would fill the river bed and dam it up. That threat is now gone.

“A sidewalk constructed out of steel had to be removed,” Suchocki said. “And a lot of rock. And a lot of rock, over 400 ton.”

It will be a while before the new bridge is in place. News 8 was told the town is just beginning the planning stage.