Bridge project to cause travel delays in Bridgeport

One of southwestern Connecticut's busiest highways is about to see some travel delays due to a major bridge project in Bridgeport.
For at least two weeks starting Friday night, all four southbound lanes of Route 8 will be shut down, with just two lanes being detoured onto the northbound side. Drivers on the streets below can expect traffic jams and even occasional road closures in the area.
Highway planners say the project could have lasted years, but instead of building the new bridge on site, it was constructed in pieces about a mile away. The pieces will be brought to the site via crane and placed on the existing piers.
The project will get underway around 8 p.m. Friday and is expected to be completed by June 25. After that, the bridges on the northbound side of Route 8 will be replaced starting mid-July.