TURNERS FALLS — The bridge over the power canal at Power Street, or Sixth Street, also known as the Bailey Bridge, is expected to reopen this week after being closed last fall for repairs. However, traffic will likely be limited until June or July to accommodate workers at the former Railroad Salvage building.
The bridge was closed unexpectedly after an inspection by the state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) last fall revealed structural problems. Montague Selectboard members noted that repairing the bridge was a priority, and that the closure would make the Patch section of Turners Falls accessible only via 11th Street.
Cost estimates for the project proved to be high, Montague Department of Public Works Superintendent Tom Bergeron told the Selectboard on Monday. The two proposals the town received were around $40,000.
Instead, the Department of Public Works reviewed the bridge, and found that it would be able to make the repairs itself, Bergeron said.
“We’re now Montague DPW bridge repair builders,” Bergeron said. “They did a great job with this.”
He added that the project effectively saved the town at least $40,000.
Whether the bridge is ready to be reopened should be clear later this week. It passed an initial safety inspection last week, and should have a final inspection done later this week, Bergeron said.
However, it may be a few more months before the bridge is accessible to regular traffic again. At the former Railroad Salvage building near the bridge, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is doing a major site cleanup, and has requested that the town limit use of the bridge while it is working, Bergeron said.
The EPA’s work is expected to be finished in late June or early July, Bergeron said, at which point the bridge should be fully reopened.
“I certainly understand the reasoning,” said Selectboard member Michael Nelson. “It’s a small price to pay for the incredible investment the federal government has made in this facility. It’s a little bit of an inconvenience for our residents in the Patch, but in the long run I think it’s a worthwhile investment for everybody.”
Reach Max Marcus at mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.