pastnews.notes3

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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Baker Brook #2 (55-06-04) is being replaced with a concrete structure. The covered bridge was relocated downstream from it's original location on July 20, 2004. Because the river is wider in the new location a steel stringer-span was added to each end of the bridge so that we now have a three span bridge. Ron Joyce, NB DOT, Sept. 23, 2004

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For those covered bridge enthusiasts who are interested in some of Vermont's current and former bridges, Joseph Conwill has compiled a collection of pictures with commentary called IMAGES of America -- Vermont Covered Bridges (ISBN 0-7385-3598-2).        Mr. Conwill, editor of the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges quarterly magazine Topics, takes us on a county by county tour of some of Vermont's historic bridges. Thru 128 pages of the black and white photos of Richard Sanders Allen, Raymond Brainerd, Henry Gibson, Herbert Richter, and others we are presented with images of covered bridges from the early 20th century, many of which no longer exist. The book is published by Arcadia Publishing and is available in bookstores or thru the internet at www.arcadiapublishing.com.

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Stowe, Vermont, September 24 - Sad news, said Ed Rhodes, VCBS Bridge-watch Chair for the Stowe Area. "Stowe's Gold Brook Bridge (Emilie's) suffered damage at the hands of a much too large vehicle the other day. Damage was done to both gable ends. As one end was crushed inward, [the perpetrator] kept going and pulled the other end out, busting roof supports and end boards.        "I will send photos and more details as available."

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Just this afternoon, we were informed by Don Heintzelman, the member of TBCBSP who discovered the 1988, Henry's Farm Bridge in Monroe County, that a new covered bridge has been built in Slatington, PA. Since it is scheduled for dedication on Saturday, October 2, and since Slatington is the place of Ben's birth and our home is not too far from it, we decided to check it out this afternoon so that we could report to those of you who are especially interested in romantic/modern shelters.

It is a "stringer," built on at least two substantial metal "I" beams approximately 24" high, it has a concrete deck/floor, and the supporting super-structure for the sides and the roof is typical "barn-type," post and beam construction. It is very substantially built. From a newspaper article which we found in the on-line edition of the Morning Call, Sept. 26, the dedication is part of the Slate Heritage Trail cleanup. Slate Heritage Trail cleanup/celebration: The Northern Lehigh Historical Society, the Slatington Lions Club, and the Delaware & Lehigh Trail Tenders group will hold a cleanup and hike along the 1.1-mile Slatington Heritage Trail near Slatington on Saturday. The new trail follows Trout Creek from Slatington. The hike and cleanup begin at 9 a.m. and continue until noon. Here is a quote from that article:

"The meeting place will be the trail head at Main and Railroad streets across from Boyer's Hardware in Slatington. During the afternoon, there also will be a gathering along the trail. Two bands are scheduled to play and between 4 and 5 p.m., a formal dedication of the covered bridge along the trail takes place. All events are free. There also will be arts and crafts tables and a fireworks display at 8 p.m. For more information, call Jodi Nestor at 610-767-8452."

To find the bridge: Approaching Slatington from the south, follow PA 309 north from the Allentown area to the fork with PA 873 north to Slatington. PA 873 becomes Main Street. Follow it to the Turkey Hill Minimart on the left side of the street, across from the post office (this is just before Main Street makes a 90 degree turn to the right), turn left at the Minimart and follow it past the Fire Company to Seventh Street (this is a relatively new development of condominiums), turn right into the development and follow the road to the covered bridge, approx. .25 mi.

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Baker Brook, New Brunswick, Aug. 25 - A new $1.6 million bridge to replace the Baker Brook River covered bridge on Joseph Morneault Road, near Baker Brook will be opened to traffic by the end of October of this year, Transportation Minister Paul Robichaud announced today.
       "The new structure will be wider than the current bridge while allowing for increased safety and capacity," Robichaud said. "It will also help the wood-trucking industry get their loads quicker to the local mills."
       The existing covered bridge has been relocated downstream and will be kept as a tourist attraction. It made way for the new, single-pane, prestressed concrete beam bridge.

Media Contact: Alain Bryar, communications, Transportation, 506-453-5634.
[This article submitted by Gerald Arbour - Ed.]

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by Ben and June Evans
September 1, 2004 - Last evening, about 8:15, we received a phone call from one of our local bridging friends who told us he had just received a call telling him that "some kids had set fire to Knecht''s Covered Bridge." Knecht''s Bridge is just outside of the village of Pleasant Valley in Bucks County, PA. Since we live just over the county line in Lehigh, we drove over to the bridge immediately to see how extensive the damage was. Fortunately, we saw the bridge standing completely intact, but since it was quite dark, we could not see the extent of the damage.
       We returned this morning and were able to see that one of the secondary bottom chords had been burned completely through, another chord had been burned about one-third, and the two adjacent diagonals of the Town truss have been partially charred. Obviously, the bridge has been closed.
       A local maintenance person told us that he thinks the fire had been started sometime yesterday morning. There are smoke detectors in the bridge and may have been the reason it was discovered quickly. We have no further details, but will report on the incident more fully in the fall issue of Pennsylvania Crossings.

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Salisbury, NY, August 19, 2004 - The restoration work on the Salisbury Bridge was recently completed with an infusion of $153,000 in federal funds.
       The fifty-foot bridge, built in 1875 by Alvah Hopson, crosses Spruce Creek using a multiple kingpost truss with Burr Arch.
       The bridge roadway has been replaced as well as parts of the truss. The roof system has been renewed with new steel sheathing.
       For details of the work on the bridge see "Buskirk and Salisbury Center Bridges Repair Progress", rwilson.htm, by Dick Wilson, on this website.
[From an article from the Evening Times, Little Falls, NY, clipping sent by Patricia Kane. Thank you - Ed.]

Bucks County, PA, Aug. 19, 2004 - Bucks County authorities have arrested six college men as a result of tips inspired by a $5000 reward. For the full story See: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-08192004-350932.html

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A Rally of support to Rebuild Mood's Covered Bridge will be held September 11, 2004 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM at the park by the Mood's Covered Bridge site on Blooming Glen Road, East Rockhill PA.
       Please spread the word to others that support the rebuilding of Mood's Covered Bridge.
       In order to insure the covered bridge is rebuilt the township of East Rockhill or Bucks County must take possession of the bridge. If they do not do so a referendum may be added to the fall ballot. This decision will be made at the September 14th township meeting. The fate of Mood's Covered Bridge will be decided by September 14, 2004.

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Hi Everyone, Some good news this time ! I just learned today that the Ryot Covered Bridge in Bedford County, Pa will be dedicated on Tuesday, August 24th at 1:00 pm. It was just two years ago that the bridge was destroyed by arson. Last week on my way home from our Theo Burr Meeting, I stopped at the bridge and saw that it was coming along nicely. At that time most of the siding was on and work was progressing on the interior. I imagine it will be painted soon as well. I telephoned the County Commissioners Office and was told the time and date by Dick Rice, one of the Commissioners. The dedication will take place at the bridge - of course!

Tom Walczak, 8/10/04

Enfield, NH, Aug. 10, 2004 - The New Hampshire Department of Transportation held a public hearing at the Shaker Inn today to discuss the replacement of the replica Shaker Bridge. See the Valley News Article written prior to the meeting: http://www.vnews.com/08092004/1905216.htm

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Randall Bridge - WGN 45-03-04. Photo by Joe Nelson, Sept. 1996

Lyndon, July 29, 2004 - The Lyndon Selectboard has decided to repair Randall Bridge abutments with sheet piling.
       Both abutments of the bridge were damaged by the 2002 summer flood. Two methods of repair were recommended by engineering consultants Infrastructures Inc.: To install "sheet piling" around the abutments; or to line the abutments and the river channel under the bridge with stone.
       The cost of the sheet piling method is estimated to be $236,000, the stone lining, $139,000. The work will be funded in part by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Town of Lyndon to ante 10 percent of the cost.
       The sixty-six-foot Randall Bridge, also known as the Burrington Road Bridge, was built in 1865 using the queen post truss to cross the East Branch of the Passumpsic River. The bridge serves only pedestrians, cycles, and snowmobiles.
[Thanks to Kathy Ramsey, chair of the Northeast Kingdom Chapter of the Vermont Covered Bridge Society for contributing this news item - Ed.]

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For more on the Mood's covered bridge fire click on: Moods Bridge Burned [Thanks to Tom Keating - Ed.]

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Work is complete on the Cambridge Junction Bridge and the approach roads are paved. According to William P. Patenaude of Alpine Construction, The state will perform the final inspection of the rehabilitated span Wednesday, June 23. Should all go well with the inspection, the can be opened to traffic.

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June 21, 2004 - Leola Pierce, author of Covered Bridges in Virginia has ended her business relationship with Upstream Press. If you want books or information, please contact Leola B. Pierce, 4114 Forresthills Dr., Portsmouth, Virginia 23703, Phone 757-484-4404, Email VaBridgeLady@aol.com

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Knapps Bridge [WGN PA-08-01] Built in 1853 using the Burr Truss to cross Brown's Creek near Luthers Mills, Pa., renovated in 2002. Photo by Chuck and Nancy Knapp, March 21, 2003

Luthers Mills, Pa., April 8, 2004 - The project to repair Bradford County's Knapp Covered Bridge won the Pennsylvania Partnership for Highway Quality Award at the group's spring convention.
       Receiving plaques were the Bradford County government, PennDOT Engineering District 3-0, and Dewberry-Goodkind Inc. and Lycoming Supply Inc. They represent the owner, designers and primary contractor of the rehabilitation project, taking top honors in its class of nine entries for spans 150 feet or less.
       The goal[s] of the work, in December of 2002, was "restoration of Knapp's Bridge for modern use while retaining the original historic character of the bridge," said Rick Mason Penn Dot District 3 spokesman. The goals included using materials approved by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, strengthening timber members and structural connections to accommodate modern vehicle traffic and developing abutment repair methods that improved aesthetics and facilitated operations.
[This item based on article published by Daily and Sunday Review, Towanda Pa. on their website: http://www.thedailyreview.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11264882&BRD=2276&PAG=461&dept _id=465049&rfi=8.Our thanks to Chuck and Nancy Knapp, and Dick Wilson for sharing this news item - Ed.]

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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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Dear Friends of Covered Bridges:
The ZUMBROTA COVERED BRIDGE FESTIVAL will be held June 19, 2004 at the Covered Bridge Park in Zumbrota, Mn. Many activities are planned for adults and children. But the ZUMBROTA COVERED BRIDGE SOCIETY will have a "special" celebration in honor of their 40th anniversary. The society was formed in 1964 by Alma Swanson. This event is a yearly activity and brings people from many areas to see the Art Show as well as the items that the Covered Bridge Society has for sale. We welcome everyone from far and near to attend. Please stop at the bridge we want to meet you.
                     Zumbrota Covered Bridge Society
                     11371 Hillcrest Dr. N.
                     Champlin, MN 55316

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The National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. We will be having a Covered Bridge Safari on June 5th in the Concord N.H. area. We will meet at 9 a.m. and have a day of Bridging.
       After the safari will meet and have a dinner served by The Order of Eastern Star. There will be photo books of bridgers travels, raffles, covered bridge "must have" items and a night of education by area experts in the art of bridge building.
       More info will follow, but I wanted you to have some info on accommodations to make your plans. Hope you can join us in this commemorative year celebrating 50 years of Covered Bridging.

• Elmwood Motor Lodge -- 603-796-2411 or 603-796-2828
• Daniel Webster Motor Lodge 603-796-2136
• Best Western 603-228-4300
• Comfort Inn -- 603-226-4100 or email nhcomfort@aol.com
• Concord Chamber of Commerce 603-224-2508

If I can be of any help please contact me at Sanibel93@aol.com or 978-374- 3001

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