PUTNEY — The Vermont Agency of Transportation will hold a public information meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Putney Fire Station, 21 Carl Snyder Drive.
According to a VTrans news release, the hearing will discuss a project that will replace the deck of the U.S. Route 5 bridge in Putney Center at the intersection of Kimball Hill Road. Construction will start in Spring 2020.
The existing bridge is a single span cast-in-place deck on rolled beams constructed in 1954. It is state-owned and maintained.
VTrans bridge inspectors have observed areas of heavy saturation, cracking, and evidence of significant concrete deterioration. Engineers from VTrans determined that the most cost-effective and viable approach to address deterioration of the aging bridge deck is to replace it.
Accelerated bridge-construction methods will be used by VTrans to minimize disruption to travelers. The bridge will be closed for a two-week period in June 2020. Motorists will use I-91 as a detour route. Shuttle service is planned for pedestrians during the bridge-closure period.
The new bridge deck will be the same width, provide a greater load-carrying capacity, and feature a historic bridge rail that meets safety criteria and complements its village setting.
VTrans said that with the replaced deck, the useful life of the structure will be extended another 30 to 40 years.
To learn more, contact Project Manager Mahendra Thilliyar at 802-917-2758 or Mahendra.Thilliyar@vermont.gov.