SOUTHWICK – At Monday night’s Select Board meeting, the board signed off on the contract for the Shurtleff Brook bridge project. The $116,000 contract for the project is with Gill Engineering.
The Shurtleff Brook Bridge is a 100-year old bridge on North Loomis Street that is 16 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. According to Brown, the current bridge is not salvageable for several reasons, including that the bridge is so narrow that it can’t accommodate two travel lanes without putting vehicles or pedestrians in danger.
Shurtleff Brook bridge. (WNG File Photo)
With the design of the new bridge expected to be at 19 ft. long and 32 ft. wide, the road will be realigned and widened, having the proper accommodation for vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
First reported on March 27, the town received a $500,000 grant from Mass DOT’s Municipal Small Bridge program. Mass DOT accepts bridges into the program that are municipally owned, 10 to 20 feet in length, and are being replaced or trying to be preserved.
Brown also pointed out that another $325,000 will be used towards the project as that money was approved by the town at the last annual town meeting.
Moving forward, Brown will be working with Gill Engineering to acquire the rest of the proper permits in order to progress with the project.
“Our hope is to have this under construction next year,” said Brown.
