Letter: More time, and action, are needed on Silver Creek

Posted 6/28/19

The Silver Creek Bridge is presently deficient both structurally and functionally. Rebuilding the bridge should take care of the structural problems, but it would still be deficient as planned in its …

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Letter: More time, and action, are needed on Silver Creek

Posted

The Silver Creek Bridge is presently deficient both structurally and functionally. Rebuilding the bridge should take care of the structural problems, but it would still be deficient as planned in its capacity to allow for the high flow of Silver Creek.

The bridge is periodically closed by flooding now, and the future increase in water flow and sea level rise are not adequately considered. Bristol’s history of permitting building in the stream channel, narrowing and filling in of the channel, encroaching on the bordering wetlands and increasing paving, is expected to continue and increase the runoff; a runoff that any planned bridge needs to accommodate.

Cleaning and repairs to the bridge several years ago were to take care of the problem, yet the bridge was closed by water as the work was finishing, showing the project was a waste of funds. This was because the height of the road was not increased, and surprisingly no increase is planned for the new bridge.

Part of the problem is that the utility pipes beneath the narrow bridge form a significant barrier and turn it into a semi-dam to back up the steam flow. Moving the gas, water and phone and power lines to the side of the bridge would be a great help in improving the flow as well as raising the road height and tripling the bridge span.

The highest tides now cover the bike path, and such flooding will be more frequent in the future. Sea level was about a foot lower when the present bridge was built, and it would be expected to rise at least this much during the lifetime of the bridge. DOT has only considered when the bridge would be drowned by the sea rise, but it would cease functioning long before this. The necessary changes could be done in different ways and might even ease construction problems and result in a savings.

Also the overhead wires also should be buried alongside the utility pipes to enhance the beauty of entering Bristol. This would be a minor change with great benefit. It would be a crime not to.

DOT claims any change to its present plans would be too costly. However, they explained how boulders are to be surveyed before they are moved during construction and carefully returned to their original position. The boulders are part of ordinary road fill, and a project doing this is not overly concerned by costs.

The problems discussed above are in addition to those concerning the road alignment and shutting down Bristol during construction. The town needs to demand a thorough airing of the project while there is time.

Patrick Barosh, Ph.D.
Bristol

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