Feed Me!

Moving truck was heading west on Snell Street 8:20 AM

The truck eating bike path bridge scored another meal this morning as a moving van found out the hard way about the narrow, not-overly-tall bridge over Snell Street.

Fortunately no injuries to the occupants or the bridge but the truck will need some tender loving care before it rejoins the fleet.

 More damage caused by coming out than going in

The state replaced the old Central Mass Railway bridge in the summer of 2012 ,which did raise it one foot from 9.6 feet high to the current 10.6 feet, although the narrow width stayed the same.

Looks like the truck made it pretty far under the bridge before contact took place so it was probably not like hitting a solid brick wall.

 State should think about placing their sign a tad higher up

Although if the driver had tried this three years ago when the bridge was a foot lower the impact would probably have been a tad more explosive.

 Mass Dept of Transportation bridge inspector arrives 10:20 AM

Tight Squeeze

 

Snell Street Bridge 4:35 p.m.

So it took less than a year for our first somewhat serious accident to occur under the new Snell Street Bridge.  Obviously weather played a big role.  Fortunately no serious injuries.

It happened late Friday afternoon and by the looks of it the car coming down the slight incline hit her brakes and then slid on the wet pavement into the other car already in the underpass.

One woman was transported by AFD to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and both cars were towed from the scene.  Each vehicle had air bag deployment.   

Of course if the clearance under the bridge were a tad w-i-d-e-r people might not instinctively brake when they see another car already in the tight zone.

Last year's $315,000 state project did increase the height by 12", giving ambulances breathing room, but did not widen the space at all.

Editors note:  before taking picture I called 911, turned off one of the vehicle's engines, and helped one of the drivers find her glasses.

Bridge To Somewhere

Bike Path bridge over Snell Street is now reopened

DCR is so proud they slapped a permanent sign on each side of the new bridge, right about where an oversized truck will intersect with it someday.

Free At Last

 Snell Street Bridge yesterday

Busy Snell Street reopened to normal traffic yesterday, after being closed since August 13 during business hours Monday through Friday for the Snell Street (bike path) Bridge replacement.

According to Victoria Sheehan, DOT program manager, "The project is on schedule with an anticipated completion date of October 12, 2012. The bridge is being raised from 10’-1” to 11’-1” (12 inches).

Alas, not widened however.

What A Gas

 Hess Express, West Street, South Amherst

It took almost exactly a month -- but probably their least profitable month of the year anyway -- to switch out the gas tanks and add diesel to the Hess Express, the busiest little convenience store in South Amherst and probably in the top two for all of little old Amherst.

No doubt they will be serving a slew of students and their parents over the next few weeks, only they will have to stick to gas, bread, milk, coffee and lottery tickets as our Select Board recently turned them down unanimously for a beer/wine permit.  

Meanwhile the Snell Street Bridge replacement, the state project  two miles up the road, seems to be moving along.  The new replacement steel superstructure is now on site and certainly fits the motif of Amherst as a "green community."

Snell Street replacement bridge

And what would late August in Amherst be without turkeys?

Family of turkeys in South Amherst

Missing In Action

Snell Street no bridge

Former Snell Street Bridge

The state made good progress on the Snell Street Bridge replacement this week, managing to remove the entire historic old RR bridge in just five days and only closing the road off from 7:00 AM till 3:00 PM.

Since state Department of Conservation Recreation is about as communicative as a hunk of metal, we do not know if the new bridge will be dropped into place starting next week or not.

First warning/blockade/detour for users is about 100 yards away

Blockade at bridge is formidable enough to stop a bike going full speed

Failure to Communicate

 Snell Street, Amherst:  Go away (or something like that)

Early this morning the boys in white hats fanned out to both ends of Snell Street from their portable trailer, located on that road about half way between busy Route 9 and equally busy Route 116, to take up guard duty and close off the popular road to only those who live or try to do business there (Hampshire Veterinary Hospital).

Chain link fence surrounds trailer (to keep out citizens with torches and pitchforks)

Sure we locals all knew it was coming ... generally speaking. But this was the first indication the road would close today.  Kind of short notice. 

I guess when you are the Department of Conservation Recreation, customer service is not too high on the list.  Right up there with Western Mass Electric Company.

UPDATE:  6:00 PM

By 3:05 this afternoon the guards and signs were gone without a trace, and the road reopened.   No notice as to whether this will be the daily routine or not. 

UPDATE: 8:00 AM Tuesday morning

They're baaaaaack ...

Dog Days Indeed

Original Railroad bridge (now a bike path) about to be replaced but with no increase in width and negligible increase in height

So in addition to the major traffic snafu at Atkins Corner redirecting traffic from RT116 in South Amherst, now at the other end, near town center, the closing of Snell Street--a major shortcut between busy RT116 to even busier RT9--is gearing up to increase frustration levels.

The state rented a construction trailer now parked near the bridge 

A public hearing on the $315,000 project is scheduled next week at Town Hall (6:30 PM June 26 in the Town Room), so at least we can complain about not widening or increasing appreciably the clearance of the current structure that routinely scalps trucks. But the plans are already set, so it's unlikely for anything to change.

 Woodside Avenue bridge:  The bridge to nowhere

The state told the contractor the road cannot be closed until the new bridge is on site, ready for placement, so estimates for the road closing are in the range of only a week...perhaps two.  But then the War Memorial Pool was supposed to open this Saturday and we know that' s not going to happen.

And let's hope, unlike the new bridge installed 12 years ago over the bike path 100 yards away, that this one is actually used for its intended purpose.