Route 34 Over the Stevenson Dam Set to Close Both Ways – Here Are Some Facts About the Dam

According to Monroe Police Capt. Michael Flick, Rt.34 will close in both directions over the Stevenson Dam beginning at 6AM on Saturday, June 27 and will re-open at 11PM on Tuesday, June 30. Any motorist who travels east or west between Monroe and Oxford will be affected.

Traffic will be directed to Rt.110 and Rt. 111, along with Bridge Street in Shelton. To avoid the Stevenson Dam altogether, long distance traffic should use Rt. 8 or I-84, according to CTPost.com.

The roadway, which is owned by the CT Dept. of Transportation needs to be closed so repair work can be completed on the dam's "tainter gates," which control water flow. During the road closing, all business along Rt. 34 in Monroe along with the Lake Zoar boat ramp will remain open.

If you're a "dam fan," here are a couple of quick Stevenson Dam facts.

• The dam is now 96-years-old and sits on 24 concrete arches that rest atop the dam. Traffic engineers call it a dangerous antique. That's comforting!
• The electric capacity is 28,000 kilowatts and sits 100 feet above sea level.
• The maximum design discharge is 350,000 cubic feet per second, but averages 400 to 4,000 cubic feet per second and carries, on the average, about 10,300 cars per day.

There's your "dam" facts. Check out the Hoover Dam!