The first pieces of the new Wells Hill Road Bridge were set in place Wednesday, reconnecting a small part of the Easton community with the rest of town.

The new bridge will connect Wells Hill and Redding roads after the original single lane bridge was washed out by a rainstorm in 2006. Since that time, dozens of residents have been forced to take a detour through narrow country roads to get into town.

Officials say they still have to fill in the road, pave the bridge and relocate power lines before opening the bridge to traffic. They expect to have it completed before winter.