Jeffersonville, May 19, 2004 - Canyon, or Gristmill Bridge rehabilitation project was opened for bids on January 9, 2004. The low bid, by Blow and Cote Construction of Morrisville, Vt., was $466,057.05 The only other bidder, Contractor's Crane Service, also of Morrisville, bid $623,318.00. The Engineer"s estimate was $354,101.50.
       The engineering and inspections were done by McFarland-Johnson, Inc. of Binghamton, N.Y. for the Vermont Agency of Transportation. The project is funded through the Vermont Agency of Transportation with 80% federal, 10% state, and 10% from the Town of Cambridge.
       When the work is completed the bridge will have an ASHTO live load rating of H-5, or 10,000 pounds.
       The contract calls for the contractor to avoid unnecessary disassembly of the truss and roof system. Only the joints that affect repairs to the trusses shall be disassembled. The contractor is also required to stockpile all reusable timbers and boards for reuse, and dispose of deficient timbers and boards. The existing deck planks and timbers, and distribution beams shall remain the property of the Town of Cambridge.
       The bridge floor system will be replaced "in kind", there is no plan for the use of Glu-lam. New structural timber will be eastern spruce, the siding timber, hemlock, and the bolster beams and bedding timbers will be southern yellow pine.

Canyon Bridge - 5/06/04 View from upstream, siding and roofing removed.

Canyon Bridge - 5/06/04 A classic floor system construction. The transverse sub-floor timbers you see are resting on joists which are in turn laid on the 8 x 8 floor beams. These support the flooring, some of which can be seen on the left. The flooring was protected by oak running planks now removed. Hanging beneath all this are distribution beams, probably added in the 1970's. All but four of the original floor beams will be reused.

Canyon Bridge - 5/06/04 These roof system components, "historic fabric," will be re-installed as work on the bridge is completed.	Canyon Bridge - 5/06/04 The Blow & Cote team Nathan Cote, Roland Blais, and David Morrell lever up the floor boards. These and the rest of the floor system will be "replaced in kind." Ninety percent of the floor beams will be re-used.