The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-02-14
NEW BRIDGE
IS NECESSARY
Selectmen Have Speciiica.
tions for Consideration.
WEST RIVER PROJECT
Deck Bridge and 600 Foot rrestle Do
ing Away With Dangerous Approach
and Grade Would Cost From $4,000
TO s6o,ooo-other Bridge Matters.

and Grade Would Cost From $4,000
to 10000 Other Bridge Matters.
One Of the most important question,
that will come before the voters OF
Braitleboro at the next town meeting
Is that relative 10 the bridges Of the
town. Since the expert employed by
the selectmen reported last fall that
the bridge across West river was un'
safe IL has been known that new
structure would have 10 be put IN ai
that point, aud the town fathers have
secured plans and specifications which
will be submitted 10 the voters. The
scleetmcn have found also that the iron
bridge across MILESTONE brook IN
wes, Brattleboro, built 10 years ago, Is
badly In need Of attention, and that
the wooden bridge across MILESTONE
brook at u point ON the Brook road a
short distance below the old tannery
must either be repaired or replaced
with "A more substantial structure.
A representative Of the United Con
s,ruction company Of Albany, \. Y,
was in consultation with the select
men Tuesday and presented various
plans and specifications ON the West
river project. These incorporate two
distinct ideas and the cost OF each is
estimated under different conditions.
An iron bridge, similar in construction
10 that across the Connecticut, $50
feet long with 20foot roadway, built
on the present site and planked, could
be put in AT an estimated cost of sl3,'
900. This figure includes the cost Of
new north abutment and reinforce
ment of the south abutment, bringing
both up TO the level OF the present
bridge floor. Such bridge with an
arch concrete flooring is estimated to
cost $4,000. In considering this plan,
however. il is necessary also to take
into consideration the likelihood that a
new approach on the north will be
needed. The estimated cost of such an
approach is Sl9.500 in addition to the
cost of the bridge itself.
The second idea, and that which
seems to meet with more favor on the
part of the selectmen, is that of a
deck bridge built on the same founda'
tions but with a 600.foot trestle ex.
tending north and south. The road.
way of such a bridge would be 22 feet
above the present West river railroad
bridge, this distance being necessary
to conform with the laws of Vermont.
The estimated cost of such bridge
planked is $4,000; with plank and
asphalt, $4,000; with an arch con-
crete floor, $4,000. These figures in
clude the estimated cost of grading.
The advantages Of deck bridge are
obvious. In the first place it would do
away entirely with the dangerous un-
der.pa and approach to the present
bridge; secondly. it would cut out two
steep grades. The trestle on the south
end would begin, according to present
plans, at a point in the highway
about opposite the Eaton place and the
fill would begin near the driveway.
At the north end of the bridge the
trestle would extend nearly to the end
of the board fence on the east side of
the highway. Such bridge and tres
tie would do away with almost half of
the grade of West river hill, making
level stretch from the driveway of
the Eaton place to point nearly op.
posite the entrance to the Bradley
farm just above West river. 1t would
also obviate the trouble and expense
now caused by water flowing onto the
bridge from each approach. A solid
concrete flooring would be an advantage
in that it would give absolute protec-
ton to the iron.work and abutments.
While plank flooring would save
something in first cost it is doubtful if
the difference would be worth while
since new floor would have to be
laid every five or six years at cost
of $4,000 or more. While the select
men, who have gone over the matter
carefully, are in favor of deck
bridge and trestle with an arch con-
crete flooring they are anxious to i'm
press upon the voters that whatever is
done should be done Immediately. In
either plan it will be necessary to
build new abutment on the north
end, and when the river is set back
by the new dam at Vernon the depth
of water at the mouth Of West river
will be so great as to make the expense
of building an abutment much more.
In regard to the iron bridge which
spans Milestone brook just this side
of West Brattleboro village it has been
found that water leaking through the
electric railroad track has so corroded
the iron work that it will need atten-
tion at once. The estimated expense
of repairing the present bridge is $500.
The estimated expense of new steel
girder bridge, similar to that on Main
street, with concrete floor is $4,000.
The selectmen have also sent for esti-
mates on the cost of steel REINFORCED
concrete bridge.
The wooden bridge across MILESTONE
brook just below the old tannery site
will have to be repaired or rebuilt.
The selectmen find that the iron bridge
in West Bratteboro can be taken
down, repaired, shortened and re-erect-
ed in place of the former structure for
a cost estimated at $3.50.