Stimulus Dollars to Rehabilitate Historic Vermont Bridge
The 1928 Richmond Village Bridge is set to receive federal stimulus dollars for a much-needed rehabilitation.
Five years ago, an inspection report for the Richmond Village Bridge identified major problems in the steel of this 1929 Parker truss structure. At 232 feet in span, the bridge is located in the center of the Vermont village, handling an average of 5,600 vehicles a day. In this case, with limited funds available for bridge rehabilitation projects and no shortage of need, federal stimulus dollars arrived just in time.
Soon after receiving the news about the bridge, the town lowered the structure's load rating and hired an engineering firm to develop repair options. Doing a ten-year repair and returning the load capacity (repairs that would have been undone in the eventual rehabilitation) was estimated to cost $850,000.
Instead, the town pursued another option, ultimately deciding to invest $44,000 to fix the sidewalk and keep the bridge open to a single lane while getting it in the queue for permanent replacement or rehabilitation. At the same time, the town appointed members to the Richmond Bridge Street Bridge Committee, which worked with an engineering firm to explore options for rehabilitation, realignment and replacement.
In the end, there was a split in the committee and among the town's residents over the project. A growing number in the town were interested in rehabilitating the bridge through Vermont's historic bridge program – an option that would have zero cost for the town. Through this program, historic bridges can be enrolled so that 100% of major maintenance responsibilities shift to the state. In exchange, the town takes on minor maintenance responsibilities like trimming the brush and washing the bridge. The town also gives an easement to the state.
Ultimately, through the Section 4(f) process, it was determined that rehabilitation was a feasible and prudent alternative, and that federal dollars could only be used for this option. In the middle of this process, the bridge had to be closed to all traffic for several weeks to undergo emergency repairs. Downtown businesses were devastated, some losing 70% of their business.
The orange barrel-barricaded bridge became a visual icon of our crumbling infrastructure and its impact on our local economy. Film clips of Richmond's bridge appeared in nearly every TV news story about the condition of Vermont's bridges. Politicians used Richmond as a photo opportunity, and Richmond residents were outspoken about the impact to our community and its businesses.
Because of this, everyone's energy refocused on fixing the bridge as quickly as possible. The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) offered the town a deal – leave the bridge on its current alignment and do without a temporary bridge (avoiding permitting constraints and expense), and VTrans would fast-track the bid documents and the project. The bid would call for around-the-clock construction in order to complete the project in just four months.
The construction project was put out to bid just as the stimulus package was being finalized in Washington. The Federal Highway Administration pre-approved the plans prior to committing funds in anticipation of using stimulus dollars, and the final stimulus legislation was signed just as the contract was awarded to a firm from Maine.
Soon after, Vermont's governor, Jim Douglas, celebrated the start of construction with a ribbon tying ceremony.
