With the cost to the town up to nearly $1 million, members of the Westport River Watershed Alliance have offered — and received the go ahead — to take a closer look at the benefits of scouring tons of rubble from the Westport River, beneath Hix Bridge.

The project has been in the works for nearly 10 years. Earlier this year, the Army Corps of Engineers informed the town that its preferred option for doing the work will cost $2.738 million, with the town covering $958,000 and the feds picking up the rest. That's up substantially from earlier estimates.

While they support the project as a way to restore the river's natural flow and hopefully have a positive impact on oyster and quahog beds in the river, alliance members told the Westport Select Board earlier this month that the Army Corps' description of how the river would be improved is somewhat lacking. They would be happy to offer their research services as the town moves forward, they said.

"There's some pieces missing ... that (detail) the quantitative benefits that you're going to get," alliance volunteer Mike Sullivan said. "We want to know if there's a quantifiable benefit (and) we're going to figure that out."

"We just felt we could do a little more homework for the town (given) the increased price tag."

The WRWA's overture comes as the town moves forward with the corps proposal, though no money has been dedicated and the town is under no obligation to go ahead with the project.

Corps officials recently asked Westport Town Administrator James Hartnett to draft a letter stating the town's interest in moving ahead with the project. Following the select board meeting, he was expected to do so.

Though there is no financial obligation attached, Hartnett said "they're looking at a general interest saying (that while) they're not looking for us to appropriate money" at the moment, "they want a letter stating that we're interested in moving the process along."

Sullivan said such a letter is a good idea. If the town decides to delay it could lose its spot in the army corps project queue, which would delay the project and could increase its price.

Sullivan said he hopes to have a more detailed analysis of the plan's science ready for the select board.

The project

The project would remove an estimated 3,000 cubic yards of bridge debris that had been dropped underneath the bridge following the Hurricane of 1938 and at later dates.

The main goal is to re-establish normal tidal flow and bottom compositions in and around the bridge, restoring the natural bottom contour and hopefully benefitting the area as a habitat for quahogs and oysters.