Pelham Island Bridge Reopens

Pelham Island resident Gary Slep has provided updates on the bridge project since it began in spring 2012. He concludes his updates with the following announcement that the bridge has reopened.

Work on the Pelham Island Bridge over the Sudbury River ended Dec. 28. The bridge replacement project, which began in earnest in spring of 2012, followed by a road closure that began on June 20, is basically finished. A few minor operations remain which will require a few hours of road closure early in 2013 to complete Verizon and Comcast cable relocations and the removal of three temporary utility poles. In the spring of 2013 the contractor will return to put down the final layer of asphalt and fix any landscaping damage along the river banks. Monitoring will continue for another two years to ensure safety and environmental restoration. 

In the last few days before opening the bridge and road, AA Will, the general contractor, and its subcontractors removed the temporary steel utility bridge, the bypass gas and water pipes, and the supporting H-beam utility bridge supports. On Dec. 28, they demolished the concrete piers that supported the massive girders that framed the utility bridge and then removed all their gear and cleaned up the road, readying it for traffic.

This news update ends my coverage of this project. It has been a pleasure to serve you, and an exciting educational experience for me.

Gary Slep

Have you seen the new bridge? Perhaps even crossed it? What do you think? Tell us in the comments!