June 2, 2005, Buskirk, NY - Joe, To keep you updated on the Buskirk Covered bridge, the bridge is now completed and open to all traffic. Here are some pictures taken on Memorial Day weekend. No one was around to talk to, so I do not know at this time if there will be an official opening. The repaired bridge looks just like the old Buskirk Bridge and a traditional floor was put in instead of the laminated floor. I was sure happy to see that. I will let you know when I find out more information.
              Dick Wilson

Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, May 30, 2005	Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, May 30, 2005

Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, May 30, 2005	Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, May 30, 2005

April 1, 2005, Buskirk, NY - It has been a long struggle, but the bridge is open, says Dick Wilson, President of the New York State Covered Bridge Society.
       Washington County Superintendent of Public Works Willy Grimmke announced that the renewed span had passed inspection and will be opened to vehicle and foot traffic April 1. However, some finishing work remains to be done.
       South Cambridge and Buskirk are conveniently connected again and may once more share emergency services.

Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, April, 2005	Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, April, 2005

Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, March 15, 2005	Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, March 15, 2005

A Buskirk Bridge Collected History More Money For Buskirk Bridge - 2/24/05 Buskirk Bridge Completion Postponed - 12/16/04 Buskirk Bridge Repair Progress - 11/22/04 Buskirk Bridge Really Coming Along - 6/23/04 Buskirk Bridge Repairs underway - 4/18/04 Work on Buskirk Bridge Begun - 3/??/04 Buskirk Bridge Refurbishing Plans Near Completion - 7/2/03 Start Date Set for Buskirk Bridge Rehab - 11/21/02 New York's Buskirk Bridge Closed - 8/14/02 Buskirk Contract to Include Temp Bridge - 7/2/02

Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, March 15, 2005

Cambridge, NY February 24, 2005 - The Washington County Board of Supervisors voted to amend the contract for ongoing repairs to the Buskirk Covered Bridge adding $102,000.
       The increase was said to be due to construction delays and additional inspections. To date the cost of the reconstruction of the historic bridge spanning the Hoosic River is $2.5 million nearly twice the original estimate of $1.3 million.
       Area residents are reported frustrated with the costs and delays. The bridge has been closed for two-and-a-half years and is not expected to open until late May, 2005. The delays were caused by efforts to preserve the bridge rather than replace it with a modern span. Also, instead of a projected carrying capacity of 17 tons, the renewed bridge will be limited to 7 tons despite the replacement of 90 percent of the bridge's original fabric with new material.
       The bridge repairs were funded by Federal and state grants meant to repair all three of the Washington County covered bridges, the Rexleigh, Eaglrville, and the Buskirk. However the funds were exhausted on the Buskirk Bridge, it being most in need of work
[Our thanks to Dick Wilson for forwarding the clipping from the Feb. 24 edition of The Eagle on which, in part, this report is based -Ed.] Return to Table of Contents

CAMBRlDGE, NY - During the town of Cambndge's regular December meeting Supervisor JoAnn Trinkle informed the board that the completion date for the Buskirk Covered Bridge has been postponed until June of 2005.
       Trinkle teamed of this information while attending a meeting with Washington and Rensselaer county officials and project engineers at the bridge site. She said she was told the bridge will possibly open to traffic in March 2005 with a probable, but not guaranteed, total project completion in June.
       At that meeting Trinkle asked one of the engineers how. much of the original bridge had been preserved. He would not give Trinkle a percentage but only pointed out some of the darker beams and said that they had come from the original bridge. To Trinkle it appeared that most of the reconstructed bridge was new with very few parts remaining from the original bridge.
[From the Eagle, Thursday, December 16, 2004. Clipping forwarded by Dick Wilson -Ed.]

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November 22, 2004 - Joe, I will give you the latest on the Buskirk Covered Bridge
       The pictures of the Buskirk Bridge were taken August 2004, but on a visit on October 10th, the bridge still looked like this, with work being done on one abutment. Work was being held up as they had to get new iron rods for the Howe Truss. The bridge is gone as you can see.
       Time will tell what the new Buskirk Bridge will look like. If I get up that way soon, I will update you on the progress.
                                                        Dick Wilson

Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, August, 2004	Buskirk Bridge, NY-42-01 photo by Dick Wilson, August, 2004

We visited the Buskirk Covered Bridge on July 5th and found that the long glulam beams from Unadilla, N.Y. have been delivered. These will be used for the bottom chords. The floor has been removed and all you can see are the cross members that were under the floor. This project is coming along real well now. Dick Wilson

Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, July 5, 2004	Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, July 5, 2004

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June 23, 2004 - Buskirk Bridge is really coming along now. All false work is in the river and the bridge is being jacked up now. You can even see a small camber in the bridge. The boiler plate is being removed and my photo shows just how much was used on the bottom chord. The same construction company that repaired your Poland Bridge is doing the Buskirk Bridge. This would be a good time to see a bridge being repaired and you can get some good shots of a Howe Truss. All these pictures were taken on June 19th, 2004.
              Dick Wilson

Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, June 19, 2004	Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, June 19, 2004

Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, June 19, 2004	Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, June 19, 2004

April 18, 2004 - Buskirk Covered Bridge was visited on April 16th and we found all the siding removed and the roof also removed. Abutment work is well on its way on the Washington County side. This is a good time to see former repair work on both ends with boiler plate and how it did not work. This old patch up work will all be gone soon.
              Dick Wilson

Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, April 16, 2004	Buskirk Bridge [NY-42-02] Photo by Dick Wilson, April 16, 2004

July 2, 2003 - The contract for work on the bridges will soon go out to bid, said James Prendergast, member of the Washington County Covered Bridge Advisory Committee.

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Buskirk, N.Y. -- Rehabilitation will begin on the Buskirk Covered Bridge in March, 2004. The work will be done by Alpine Construction of Stillwater, N.Y., the low bidder.
       The construction contract, let for just under $1.8 M was approved by the Washington County Board of Supervisors on November 21. Eighty percent of the cost will be paid through a federal transportation improvement grant with the state contributing 15 percent. Rensselaer and Washington counties will fund the balance.
       Because the rehabilitated bridge will be required to support fire trucks, glulam will need to be used to replace the lower chords of the bridge to attain a load rating of 25 tons.
       The Buskirk Covered Bridge was closed to traffic on August 14, 2002 when a severe structural defect was discovered in one of the beams that supports the bridge during a routine annual inspection of the bridge. Washington County engineers closed the bridge until repairs could be made.
       The 164-foot bridge was built in 1880 using the Howe truss. The bridge spans the Hoosic River serving County Road 103, connecting Rensselaer and Washington Counties.
[Thanks to John Dostal for forwarding the news clipping that was the basis for this article - Ed.]

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New York's Buskirk Bridge Closed

The Buskirk Bridge photo by Dick Wilson August 17, 2002.

BUSKIRK, N.Y. The Buskirk Covered Bridge was closed to traffic Wednesday afternoon, August 14 due to a "substantial new crack in one of the crossbeams," according to the Post-Star of Glens Falls, N.Y. The Bennington Banner of Bennington Vermont declares the closing was due to "a severe structural defect . . . . in one of the beams that holds up the bridge."
       According to the news items, the problem was found when the bridge was undergoing one of its twice annual inspections. Washington County engineers made the decision to close the bridge.
       The bridge connects Washington and Rensselaer Counties over the Hoosic River, the only crossing for five miles in each direction. The detour is a cause for concern for the Buskirk Fire Department and other emergency services. An estimated 700 cars each day will need to use the Johnson or the Eagle Bridge until the Buskirk span is returned to service.
       Renovations at an estimated cost of $900,000, to be shared by the two counties, had been scheduled for 2003. Interim repairs are being planned.
       The Buskirk Bridge (World Guide Numbers 32-42-02 and 32-58-04) is described in the newspaper articles as a 164-foot single span constructed in 1857 using the Howe Truss. The World Guide To Covered Bridges published by the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges lists the bridge as having been built in 1880
       Many thanks to Dick Wilson, President of the New York State Covered Bridge Society, for forwarding the referenced newspaper clippings.