Norwich bulletin., 1909-07-15
COULD CHANGE BRIDGE FOR QUARTER OF MILLION.
Estimates Made Looking Toward Fu- ture of Thames River Structure as Highway Bridge.

Now that the legislature has passed the bill to erect a bridge across the Connecticut river between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook the next link in the chain to complete the main thor oughfare between New York and Bos- ton is a bridge across the Thames river
 President Mellen of the New Haven road has expressed a willingness to the/New London Business Mems as- SSc1atfon committee to turn over the present Thames river railroad bridge to the state when the New Haven road builds a new bridge over the Thames. which the road issplanning to do in the near future.
 The railroad, after consultation, with the committee, altered it's plans for bridging the Thames so that the new bridge could be built alongside of the present one, and the old one altered to meet the needs of a public .high- way. While the railroad, through President Mellen and other officials, has shown its willingness to cooper ate with New London in preserving the old bridge the project depends upon the report of Colonel Taylor of the United States engineering depart ment as to the feasibility of having the two bridges crossing the river in close proximity. The draws of both bridges are practically made one in operation, leaving one passageway fS0 feet wide through both brides and 1t is believed that these conditions will be accepted by the government engf- neers as sufficient to insure safe nav- igation.
 General Plan of Bridge.
 A general plan showing a possible arrangement of spans which will per- init the retention of the present bridge over the Thames has been filed with Colonel Taylor of United States engineering department in New Lon don to serve the purposes of a highway as well as plans for a new bridge. By adopting a double rolling lift for the railway span it becomes possible to utilize the present piers and spans in the present bridge with the addition of but one pier for the Bascule drawspan.
 By this plan one arm of the pres ent swing span is utilized as a fixed span in the new design. It is not practicable to adapt the second arm for use as drawspan on account of certain strains and features incidental to the calculations for span of this kind.
 If the bridge is finally presented to the city or state, the scrap value of this span may be applied against the estimated cost of making necessary changes, or may be used as highway bridge at some other point, as may seem most expedient
 In connection with these plans. there has been made an estimate of cost for altering over the present bridge for highway. The estimate is quite liberal and it is altogether probable that it may be considerably reduced by closer study. The estimate makes no. provision for approaches, as it is not yet determined what proportion of the. present approaches may be util- ized in the approaches to the pro- rosed new bridge, but 1t is probable that satisfactory arrangements could be made with the railroad company whereby it would pass title to the present embankm ents and land in re- turn for title to the additional right of way required on the approaches to the new bridge.
 The adaptation of the old bridge to highway purposes proves unexpected ly economical and it is quite certain that no future opportunity will pre- sent itself for the construction of a highway bridge upon such favorable terms. ff.......,,2est, v q rr5
 Fer general information it may be | dGdS'tl' IAanb 1A1C A0uplACdttDI tfle present structure would involve the expenditure of not less than $1,0e0, 900. Estimate of Altering Bridge. Remove the easterly arm and tower of the present swing bridge, build one new pier just east of the present pivot pier; put a new single leaf rolling lift span in the channel opening; add two lines of sidewalks, each six feet wide, both sides of the present trusses One new pier for lift span, including lenders, s100,000 basculespap, inelud- ing royalty, S90000: removing east arm of present drawbridge and alter ing west arm for use as a fixed span, $5,G00;l sidewalk brackets and stringers, s15,000; sidewalk planking, handling strips, etc, 5000; roadway cross timbers and planking, $1f000;' road way top planking. Ss,250; ties for troll ley tracks, $3,000; cleaning and paint ing entire bridge, 5000; railing. $5,- 900: engineer and contingencies, $24. n 900; total, s2e5, ,350.