Work Under Way on Clarksburg's East Road Bridge
.jpg) Maxymillian construction has started work on the East Road Bridge. It is expected to be completed next month. |
J.H. Maxymillian construction has removed the roadway and earth was being dug out on Thursday from around the failing culvert through which Kenyon Brook empties into the North Branch.
The work is a welcome site for homeowners on upper East Road and Daniels Road, who've had to take the long way around to get to Route 8 (River Road).
The bridge had been targeted for replacement after being damaged several years ago but fell victim to Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011. Undermining of the roadway forced its closure while town officials pursued state and federal help for the $275,000 project.
Not until August, after all appeals for aid was rejected, did the town award the contract using Chapter 90 funds.
Town Administrator Thomas Webb said on Wednesday the work should be extended to replace a sewer line under the brook that had been damaged by a previous storm.
"We've got a gabion in there to protect the sewer line," he said. "We're going to try to get a price from Maxymillian for that, too, because if that's something we can do while they're here, it makes sense."
Selectman Carl McKinney said the gabions — chicken-wired squares filled with rocks — had been put in place because of "the initial assault on the bridge." The cost to repair and protect the line had been $30,000.
"The gabions did their work, during Hurricane Irene," he said. "Although [Irene] did extensive damage to the bridge itself, the gabions did their job and the sewer line is intact."
But that had always been considered a temporary repair, he said, until the bridge was ready to be replaced.
"We don't want to be coming back and revisiting this in a year or two or three or five," said McKinney. "So we'll see where the costs go on that."
The bridge itself is expected to be reopened next month. Work has also started on Gates Avenue, where a culvert was washed out by Irene.
Tags: bridge, Irene, road project, road work,
