CHESHIRE, Mass. — The town is hoping to start the reconstruction of the West Mountain Road bridge in April. 

 

The steel culvert, which carries West Mountain Road over Kitchen Brook, has several structural and erosion-related issues, including cracking, rusting, minor wall displacement, sinkholes, partially failed and dulled galvanized coating, roadway settlement, and signs of leakage. 

 

According to the state Structures Inspection Field Report from January 2025, the structure is a single-barrel corrugated steel arch with an open bottom supporting fill with an asphalt wearing surface.

 

The town was previously awarded a small municipal bridge grant to cover the engineering costs, which was done by Gill Engineering.

 

The town was again awarded another bridge grant for the reconstruction project, anticipated to cost $770,518, with the bid being awarded to CD Davenport of Greenfield. 

 

According to the plans from Gill Engineering, the project will include repairing the bridge's foundation, reinforcing the sides of the crossing, rebuilding the road surface, and adding new guardrails and drainage. 

 

During excavation, the contractors will take "extreme care" not to damage the existing corrugated steel culvert. To prevent unbalanced loading, they will remove equal amounts of fill from both sides simultaneously. 

 

During construction there will be a single 11-foot lane accommodating alternating one-way traffic. 

 

Additionally, temporary water control will be put in place to keep the area dry to prevent wingwall foundation, streambed restoration, and rooting repair work. 

 

Several sections of West Mountain Road are in need of repair. 

 

Department of Public Works Director Corey McGrath told the Select Board recently that he plans to do that work in sections because it is not fiscally possible to do it all at once with the funds available. 

 

The price for a total reconstruction is hard to swallow, he said. 

 

Repaving is not meant to last as long as digging down and putting a basin and some drainage, said Selectman Ronald DeAngelis. 

 

The town received notice that is has been awarded $347,000 in Chapter 90 road funds, so when the bridge reconstruction is complete, McGrath hopes to use a portion of that to work his way up West Mountain Road. 

 

The reconstruction of the road would not be considered a priority to the state, so the town would not be able to get state funding McGrath said. 

 

Another priority is Lanesborough Road, he said. 

 

Projects across the state are being delayed because they aren't being designed quickly enough, even though funding is available. Funds are being shifted between projects, with some receiving priority if their designs are completed sooner than expected, DeAngelis said. 

 

Towns have to have the engineering done first before being placed in the queue for state funding, which is an added cost, he said.

 

"Bottom line is all the roads are on Corey's list. It's just a prioritization exercise every year with limited funds," Chairman Shawn McGrath said.