Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1920-08-06
BRIDGE MATTERS
ARE DISCUSSED
Plans for Approach on Each End
Made by James E. Helyar
Cost of Building Temporary Structure
About $4,000, but Offsets viii Make
Material Reduction.

All the members of the Brattleboro
and Hinsdale boards of selectmen met
in the seleetmen s room here Friday
evening to consider details concerning
the approaches to the steel bridge which
ia to be erected across the Connecticut
river at Brattleboro on the site of the
bridge destroyed by the freshet OF
March %. Other interesting facts
concerning the proposed structure and
the temporary bridge already erected
were discussed.
The bill of the Fred IT. Ley Co. of
Springfield, Mass, for building the tenn
porary bridge, charging the east abut-
ment and grading the approaches is
little over $4,000. The United Con-
struction Co., contractors for the new
bridge. would have to erect temper
ary structure to work on while erect
ing the new bridge, so they will allow
the towns an amount between the min
imum of $4,000 and the maximum of
$4,000 for this work. Besides this the
bridge company will allow the towns
$4,000 for putting on the floor of the
new bridge and all the floor lumber
of the temporary bridge will be used
in this connection, so the net cost of
the temporary bridge is not large.
Engineer James +. Helyar has worked
out all the problems with reference to the
approaches to the new bridge involved
bv the plan to build the new bridge at
six feet higher elevation than the old
one, and all the property owners con-
cerned have expressed themselves as sat
istied with the plan, so it is not expected
that any claims for damages will be pre-
tnl ha NIL
over Friday night and it is expected
that the work will be done by Road
Commissioner Charles j. DUDE of Brat
On the Vermont side there will be a
gravel fill beginning 100 feet from the
bridge, about half way to the railroad,
and approaching the bridge on 2 per cent
I'D grade A six foot cement walk will
extend from the north side of the rail
road crossing to the north side of the
bridge, and on that side of the fill there
will be a retaining wall l20 feet long
corresponding in height to the fill. A
stairway will lead down to the entrance
of the brick holder north of the
highway. South of the highway retain
ing wall will extend west from the
bridge short distance, then turn south
nearly at right angles to form a l4-foot
roadway on the river bank east of the
Twin State Gas & Electric Co.'S brick
building. The fill in the main highway
will raise the road to the doorstep of the
building. Near the northv est corner of
the building a manhole will be put in
and the drainage vii! center at that
point As
From thessNew Hampshire end of the
bridge fill will be made for about 800
feet, going down on 5 per cent grade
A retaining wall on the south side will
start on top of the present wing wall and
will extend on straight line, following
the direction of the wing wall, $50 feet
Between this wall and the roadway there
will be grass plot. On the north side a
concrete retaining wall will start at the
wing wall and follow the general outline
of the Island Park pavilion, as the fill
will bring the roadway slightly above
the piazza level. The pavilion steps will
be removed and grating put in to take
care of drainage. The arrangement will
give wider approach to the bridge and
still provide grass plot in front of the
pavilion. The large willow tree near the
pavilion will be saved. A ramp will ex
tend from the roadway down to the en-.
trance to the Island Park field.
Work on these improvements will be
begun very shortly.