Conn. DOT hooks up with banned contractor

Perhaps the Connecticut Department of Transportation is attracted to bad boys.

The agency recently hired a troubled contractor to construct a $1 million pedestrian bridge. Barr Inc. has been barred from working on public projects in the state of Massachusetts and is currently being investigated by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

“We sat down internally to evaluate their bid,” DOT spokesman Judd Everhart told the Hartford Courant. “We were aware of the performance issues, but concluded that they were qualified for this particular project and awarded the contract to them.”

Barr Inc. has received five failing evaluations over the past couple of years. None of them involve road or bridge work. Massachusetts ordered the ban following the construction of a public works facility and three libraries. After the Massachusetts investigation began, Barr received another failing evaluation on a library job when officials cited safety, schedule and maintenance problems.

Barr Inc. President Robert Darrigan called the allegations half-truths and exaggerations.