The design-build team of PCL Civil Constructors, Inc. and Figg Bridge Engineers, Inc. in conjunction with the Town of Brattleboro, invites the public to participate in guided walks across the 1,036-foot, three-span segmental I-91 Brattleboro Bridge on the afternoon of Saturday, March 4. During the walk, the community will have a chance to take pictures and ask questions about the bridge design and construction.
Visitors will be able to access the bridge by parking at the Brattleboro Union High School where school buses hired by the Town of Brattleboro will be waiting to load passengers and depart for the bridge. The buses will drop passengers off at the south approach of the new bridge where representatives from the design-build team will meet the groups for a guided walk to the north end. The shuttle buses will be waiting on the north end for pick up and return to the high school.
The first shuttle bus will depart from BUHS at 1 p.m., and the last at 4 p.m. Buses will depart at 10-15 minutes intervals and the round trip is expected to take approximately 1 hour.
**Access to the bridge is by bus only. No private vehicles will be permitted on the bridge.**
Bonnie Clark
Field Office Manager
Public Relations Officer
PCL Civil Constructors, Inc.
41 Spring Tree Road | Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
p 802-251-0709 | f 802-251-0695
Excellent news - once in a lifetime opportunity
Good chance for citizen reporters to take pictures and write about the experience. Or just go look. This is not the sort of event that one should expect to be duplicated until another new bridge is built, in maybe 75 years.
I would guess we’re very close to opening the northbound lanes if we’re being invited to walk the bridge. I’m going to try to do this, though as I’ve gotten older my fear of heights has somewhat increased. Time to face that fear again (sort of like looking over the gorge at Queechee, or at Niagara Falls. The heart races, but the payoff is worth it.)
Bridge will open March 13 most likely
The plan right now is to open two northbound lanes first, probably on March 13 but perhaps as soon as March 10. That’s why the walk has to happen this Saturday or never. The lanes in the other direction follow: one southbound lane about April 19, the other mid-June. Then the old bridge gets demolished, and other sitework is performed below, with a target completion date of October 31.
Don’t wait for an opportunity in 75 years. I’ve been told that this bridge is designed to last 100 years, even if no maintenance is ever done. For example, a lot of the rebar in the bridge span is stainless steel, superexpensive, so that it won’t rust if the concrete cracks or deteriorates and water gets to the rebar. Hopefully, the thing WILL be maintained (although that was not the case with the iron bridge), so it should last well over 100 years.
The only other way you could walk on the bridge is by being a bridge inspector, or by arranging for your car to break down on the bridge (not recommended).
Playing bridge
You (and others) got your wish, too, to be able to walk out there… the bridge gods got the offering, it seems.
So the NEXt walk across the bridge after this one will be around March 4, 2117. (The town will provide jet packs from the monorail station!)
"The heart races"
This bridge is important. I think it falls squarely under Vermont’s highway administration. But I use the bridge to Hinsdale as much or more as this one. It was built in the 20’s. It spans 304 feet across the Connecticut supported only on either end, with no other support, about the length of a football. Unfortunately, that bridge is under NH’s jurisdiction.
I’m happy about the new I-91 bridge and good for the town to make it an important community event. If I could walk, I’d do the 1000 foot walk on March 4th with more assurance than I would if I could walk over the bridge to Hinsdale. It’s unsettling to even drive across it.
Hooray!
I had emailed Bonnie a week or so ago, wondering if there would be either one final Trail Talk, or one final chance for us Trail Talk regulars to get a close look. So glad they decided to do it!
I was actually rooting for March 11 because I’m out of town on March 4 (darn it) but I did already get my chance last fall when the engineers took 3 of us up to 91 and even inside the bridge, so I suppose I can’t complain.
Everyone, go and see it yourselves! Take lots of pictures!
Oh, too bad...
Ack. I was hoping you’d be our tour guide…. : ) (Maybe you can argue for a walk on the southbound side, too, when it is ready.)
It’s going to be a sunny but cold day. I’ll take some pictures, for sure. Hope to see other’s views as well.
Tours
Well, the way I see it, getting a small private tour was more special than walking with a crowd anyway. Will be wishing I was there anyway!
But actually the engineers have been really good guides, and very willing to answer questions. They’ll explain in simple or highly technical terms depending on the level of understanding of who’s asking.
too bad
Too bad Evel Knievel isn’t around to jump bridge span for our entertainment tomorrow.
Saturday
Just bumping this up in comments one more time. I’d hate for someone who wants to see things from up there miss out.
It should be quite a view!
Today!
The northbound lane is completely cleared, with just a port-potty out there about half way across.
Bundle up!
Anybody heading out there: the wind chill at bridge height will be fairly ferocious, so add a few layers.
Post lots of pictures...
…for those of us missing it!