http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20110819/NEWS02/708199883
Published August 19, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Black River bridge proves stubborn
By Christian Avard
SPRINGFIELD — Residents waiting to see a historic steel bridge removed from a former machine tool building will have to wait because it weighs more than the contractors thought.
Contractors struggled to remove a 142-foot by 15-foot bridge at the former Fellows Gear Shapers building on Wednesday and Thursday. The bridge is being replaced because it is no longer safe and the developer, One Hundred River Street of Washington, D.C., is seeking to renovate the building.
“The estimated weight of the bridge was 40,000 pounds but the contractor told us that the bridge weighs much more than that. They are taking more portions off and they’re lightening the load (on Thursday),” developer Rick Genderson said in a phone interview.
The bridge removal project will cost One Hundred River Street more than $200,000. The costs include $100,000 in labor and $100,000 for the new bridge. One Hundred River Street also spent $26,000 in incidental costs such as removing power lines and providing generators to area schools.
As of Thursday afternoon, contractors had not removed the steel bridge from the abutments. Genderson was unsure how much the delay was costing One Hundred River Street. Despite the price tag, Genderson said they are determined to replace it.
“They’ll charge us something more. We don’t know how much. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Genderson said with a laugh.
The bridge has stood the test of time according to Bob Flint of Springfield Regional Development Corp. The original structure was built in 1912 and functioned as vehicular and pedestrian bridge. A major flood took place in 1927 and the Black River water levels rose above the bridge. Despite the flooding, the bridge remained in place.
“There used to be a bridge in Bellows Falls called the Arch Bridge. It was a large and iconic iron bridge removed in the 1980s. They tried blowing it up several times and it was so stubborn. The first thing I thought of was ‘Here we go again.’ It’s a rugged bridge. It’s tough,” Flint said.
The new bridge is part of a $13 million renovation project of the former Fellows Gear Shapers building. The Springfield Community Health Center will occupy the building along with retail and office space. The renovations are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Vyto Starinskas / Staff Photo Construction crews could not remove a historic bridge at the Fellows Gear Shaper Company on Wednesday.
This bridge sounds as stubborn as most of the anonymous commenters on this blog!
ReplyDeleteThere was nothing wrong with the bridge, they got fooled into changing it.
ReplyDeleteanonymous people get the truth out
Yeah but at least come up with a clever anonymous identity! Kind of like El Barto!!
ReplyDeleteHe who gets this chunk of metal to the recycling yard - WINS . Bet you could pick up that cheap bridge they made with nothing more than your hands. Sounds like another inside person wanting to get paid and stealing a good bridge to do it. Disgusting.
ReplyDeleteEl Barto, I am now "THE SHERIFF OF COMTU FALLS"
ReplyDeletebut like ZORO I will post anonymous.
much love
and
peace.
p.s. Don't confuse others. The Point here, is that EVIL is STEALING the good citizens money. AND PUTTING IT IN THEIR POCKETS!!!
The whole Fellow's Gear Shaper Project is a GOLD COLLAR CRIME. The bridge was not in need of repairing. It was built to have MAJOR, HEAVY, HUGE, LARGE, AWESOME, GIGANTIC, SOLID STEAL MACHINARY 10x +++ the weight of a car cross over it. The new bridge is CHEAP and WILL NOT last as long as the old one. It is also BIGGER AND BLOCKS THE VIEWS. It will detract from the Fellow's building too.
Not to mention they never protected the RIVER and 100% of the debris from the work FELL INTO THE BLACK RIVER.