Start Date Set for Buskirk Bridge Rehab

 

Buskirk, N.Y. - Rehabilitation will begin on the Buskirk Covered Bridge in March, 2004. The work will be done by Alpine Construction of Stillwater, N.Y., the low bidder.

The construction contract, let for just under $1.8 M was approved by the Washington County Board of Supervisors on November 21. Eighty percent of the cost will be paid through a federal transportation improvement grant with the state contributing 15 percent. Rensselaer and Washington counties will fund the balance.

Because the rehabilitated bridge will be required to support fire trucks, glulam will need to be used to replace the lower chords of the bridge to attain a load rating of 25 tons.

The Buskirk Covered Bridge was closed to traffic on August 14, 2002 when a severe structural defect was discovered in one of the beams that supports the bridge during a routine annual inspection of the bridge. Washington County engineers closed the bridge until repairs could be made.

The 164-foot bridge was built in 1880 using the Howe truss. The bridge spans the Hoosic River serving County Road 103, connecting Rensselaer and Washington Counties.