Snell Street BridgeThe Department of Conservation and Recreation will replace the Snell Street Bridge later this fiscal year and while they're at it--even though reusing the current abutments--will raise it by 6" to 8," which should help reduce instances of truck scalping that occurs when 10' moving vans forget to do the math.
The bridge was originally built to serve the Central Mass Railway Company but became part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail in 1993. Amherst College--the largest landowner in town--is donating a temporary easement on their adjacent property to allow a convenient detour while the overpass is closed for construction.
A tale of two detours, or an inconvenient truth: l-o-n-g red line will be the detour for 90% of the project duration, shorter red/blue lines combination (center) is for construction access to project, but occasionally open to weary travelers
The bridge was originally built to serve the Central Mass Railway Company but became part of the Norwottuck Rail Trail in 1993. Amherst College--the largest landowner in town--is donating a temporary easement on their adjacent property to allow a convenient detour while the overpass is closed for construction.
A tale of two detours, or an inconvenient truth: l-o-n-g red line will be the detour for 90% of the project duration, shorter red/blue lines combination (center) is for construction access to project, but occasionally open to weary travelers
They *are* going to re-open Snell street afterwards, aren't they? Or will this be yet another case of where the rail trail closed a street, remember the perfectly good bridge that was never reopened?
ReplyDeleteI suggest that TM condition the acceptance of the easement with the promise to reopen Snell Street...
And why can't we just put in new bridge abutments -- we have heavy equipment now, it isn't difficult to lift and restack those granite blocks -- and both widen it and raise it to 13'6" so we don't have to worry about accidents anymore...
Oh - that would make sense.
Anon 2:16 I agree...the 'Snell Street wedge' needs to be widened and TM ought to demand the re-opening of that bridge on Woodside too. I believe the "new" bridge (maybe 10 years old now?) has never carried traffic because it was blocked off immediately after completion.
ReplyDeleteAnd Larry, speaking of construction can you find out why the Spring Street lot has not been reopened? Going on two months now. It's not like downtown needs parking or anything...
The heavy rains over the past two weeks slowed things down but Mr. Mooring told me it would be done within the next week or two.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is great now, and Monday is a holiday, but apparently it's not worth bringing in a crew at time-and-a-half to speed things up.
One of the problems with Spring Street is that a deadline for completion was never created.
If the town had farmed it out to the private sector there would have been a deadline with penalties for not meeting it.
If you are thinking about whether the Woodside Street bridge needs to be reopened, you really do have too much time on your hands.
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