Chenango County

Oxford Riverwalk Project -- Bill Troxell reports they have been working with an architectural student at ESF through Syracuse University to develop signage for the Village of Oxford. Those designs include elements of the Burr Arch truss. The Library has received the grant paperwork to hire an architect to further develop a building use plan for the Burr House. This is a member item grant through Assemblyman Clifford Crouch's office. Part of the plans for the library is to have a room dedicated to Theodore Burr, his life in Oxford and his covered bridge career.

Essex County

Jay Covered Bridge -- NY-16-01 A contract to rehabilitate the Jay covered bridge has been awarded to the Alpine Construction Company of Stillwater, NY with a bid of $652,184. Because Alpine's bid was significantly lower than the others, the Essex County Department of Public Works delayed awarding the contract until the job costs could be verified. The rehabilitation work will include replacing the floor, approximately 80% of the lower support members and about half of the upper members. Following rehabilitation, the Jay bridge will be used for pedestrian and cycle traffic only.

Herkimer County

Salisbury Center Covered Bridge - NY 32-22-01 -- Peter Usselmann, Chairman of the Planning Board reports that the contract for the rehabilitation of the Salisbury Center Covered Bridge has been awarded to Steven Miller Concrete and Construction from the Johnstown/Gloversville area. The bid of $133,000 includes a new roof, deck and installation of steel I-beams to support the bridge, along with other routine repairs. They will also be applying a fire retardant spray to the bridge. Repair work will begin when the weather breaks with an anticipated completion date of May 14th, 2004.

Rensselaer/Washington Counties

Buskirk, Rexleigh and Eagleville Covered Bridges -- NY 32-42-02/58-04; NY 32-58-03 and NY 32-58-01 -- Willie Grimmke, Superintendent of Public Works has advised us that the rehabilitation work has begun on the Buskirk Covered Bridge. The contract was awarded to Alpine Construction of Stillwater, NY. Washington County Board of Supervisors approved the $1.8 million construction bid at their November 21st meeting. Approximately 80% of the cost will be funded through a federal transportation improvement grant with NY State contributing 15%. The balance will be funded by Rensselaer and Washington Counties. The rehabilitated bridge will have a 12 ton posted weight limited when the project is completed, however the fire department will be granted a waiver up to 17 ton for their emergency equipment. Glulam bottom chords will be used to replace the old bottom chords. Rehabilitation is expected to be completed in December 2004. Rehabilitation on the Rexleigh and Eagleville bridges will not begin until 2006.

Ulster County

Grants Mills Covered Bridge -- NY-56-06 A recent visit to the Grants Mills Covered Bridge brought a welcome surprise. A beautiful new historical marker is prominently displayed near the bridge. It is great to see the effort that is being made to educate the public about the historic significance of our bridges.

Other news:
Many towns and villages who host a covered bridge have websites you can visit for up-to-date information on their covered bridges. I have been asked to list the following websites. If you learn of others, please let me know and I'd be happy to include them.

Copeland Covered Bridge -- www.edinburg-hist-soc.org
Hamden Covered Bridge -- www.hamdenny.com
Eagle Mills Covered Bridge --www.eaglemillsfun.com

Illinois Covered Bridge -- We were pleased to learn of the possibility of a new covered bridge being built in Illinois, a state we don't often hear from. The News Tribune reported in their Saturday, December 6, 2003 issue that there is a proposed plan to replace the Captain Swift, a one-lane iron bridge in Princeton. Princeton Township officials are seeking funds to construct a new, two lane covered bridge. According to the article, Whiteside, Knox, Cumberland and Clark counties have had covered bridges built in the last four years.

Corrections:

I apologize for some errors that were made in my fall 2003 column concerning the Smith Covered Bridge in Delaware. The correct World Guide number for the Smith Bridge is actually DE-02-D as it is not truly an authentic covered bridge. The Burr arches do not go actually go into the abutments and steel I-beams support the bridge. The Smith Covered Bridge is located in New Castle County, not Ashland County as I previously stated. And the correct number for the Wooddale Covered Bridge is DE-02-03, not 04. I apologize for the confusion.