Banding together for a bridge

 

Members of the new group Friends of the Battenville Bridge gather at the west end of the century-old steel structure, which spans the Batten Kill between the towns of Greenwich and Jackson.Joan K. Lentini photo

 

By JOHN TOWNES
Contributing writer

GREENWICH, N.Y.

Some neighbors of the old steel truss bridge in the hamlet of Battenville are rallying to save it.
The one-lane bridge has spanned the Batten Kill, connecting the towns of Greenwich and Jackson, for more than a century. But in recent years the Washington County Department of Public Works identified the bridge as structurally deficient, and the department says it is investigating options for repairing or replacing it.

That has the bridge’s supporters worried that one day soon it could be demolished in favor of a standard open-deck concrete structure.

So about 25 people from the surrounding area have formed Friends of the Battenville Bridge to advocate for preserving and repairing the bridge instead of replacing it. The group says the bridge is an important part of the area’s history and rural character.

“We love and value this historic bridge and want to see it remain part of the transportation network and cultural landscape of our area,” the Friends group said in a statement released in February detailing its effort to save the structure.

The steel-deck bridge carries county Route 61 across the Batten Kill just east of the junction of state Route 29 in the hamlet of Battenville. Formally known as the Batten-Dugan Bridge, it was built in 1916.

It is an example of a through-truss bridge, a type of steel structure that was once common around the country but has been rapidly disappearing from the landscape over the past few decades. Highway officials now generally favor open concrete bridges, which they say are easier to maintain and remove clearance restrictions for tall trucks.

Washington County placed the Battenville bridge on its list of planned projects several years ago because of structural problems. The county says it is currently gathering information to assess its options, which include demolishing the existing bridge and building a new one -- or repairing the current structure.

One issue is safety. Friends of the Battenville Bridge says that because it is narrow, the current one-lane bridge provides a “traffic calming” function in the neighborhood — and that a two-lane replacement bridge likely would increase the speed of traffic through the area.

“I’ve lived in Jackson for 25 years and drive over the bridge regularly, and I appreciate its qualities,” said Lee Shapiro, a physician who is a member of Friends group. “I’ve also seen the negative results of widespread demolition of historic sites in New Jersey, where I grew up, and later in Albany and Troy. People often later regret their loss, but once they’re gone you can’t recreate them.”

 

Historically significant
The Federal Highway Administration has granted the Friends of the Battenville Bridge the status of a “consulting party” as it reviews the bridge project. The Friends group says this will help to ensure that its members and the public have input into the decision-making process.

And last year, the state Office of Historic Preservation determined that the Battenville Bridge was eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as a state registry, because it “embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction.” According to the agency, the bridge is an example of a design known as a Pratt thru-truss with overhead bracing and bridge plate, which was developed in 1844 by Thomas and Caleb Pratt.
This style of bridge was prevalent from the 1840s through the early 20th century. The bridges initially were built with a combination of wood and iron trusses; in latter decades, they were constructed completely with iron and later steel. The design also inspired numerous variations.
The Friends group points out that a provision of federal transportation law favors preservation of historic structures if it is “reasonable and prudent” to do so.

Projects like the repair or replacement of the Battenville bridge normally must undergo review by local, regional, state and federal officials with an opportunity for public input. The review process includes detailed studies of environment impacts, a financial analysis and other factors.
Although the county owns the bridge, its repair or replacement will rely on federal funding, which makes the project subject to requirements of the Federal Highway Administration and the National Historic Preservation Act.

 

Deteriorating structure
Deborah Donahue, the Washington County superintendent of public works, said the bridge was placed on her department’s list of projects because it has serious problems that must be addressed.

She explained that the state mandates inspection every other year of bridges and culverts that are more than 20 feet long.

“They examine the condition of the structures and determine whether deterioration has occurred,” she said. “When they find a problem, it is marked with the designation of a yellow flag. During these inspections, that bridge has received four yellow flags.”

These findings are particularly critical for the Battenville bridge because of the interdependent nature of its structure and design, she said.

“In that type of bridge, all of its components work together and rely on each other,” she said. “So we have to pay particular attention to any element that has a yellow flag because that can affect the safety and stability of the entire bridge.”

The county included replacement of the bridge on the list of proposed projects it submits to the Adirondack Glens Falls Transportation Council, a regional planning group prioritizes projects for federal funding. The council updates its list of area road and bridge projects every two years to determine which ones qualify to move forward with funding from the federal Transportation Improvement Program.

Washington County had identified the need for bridge work at Battenville in a previous round, and it has carried over into the funding cycle covering 2022-27. As part of the process, the county hired a consultant to study the bridge in detail. That study is now under way.

“Based on their research, they will draw up a list of options that are available, and the costs and the pros and cons of each,” Donahue said. “They will also recommend a preferred option.”

 

Keeping the bridge open
Donahue said the process of determining the ultimate plan for the bridge will include public input, the historic status of the bridge and the possibility of repairing it or pursuing other solutions.
Although the state preservation officials concluded that demolition of the current bridge would constitute an adverse impact under the National Historic Preservation Act, the state did not say it must be preserved in its current role. Other options it cited include potential relocation of the bridge or conversion to pedestrian use.

Friends of the Battenville Bridge, however, supports repairing the bridge and opposes any change in its current use.

“We have a local bridge for vehicular traffic,” the group said in its February statement. “It should remain in its original locational context and continue with its regular and historic use.”
The group contends that replacing the current bridge with a two-lane structure would speed up traffic through the area, making the area less safe — particularly for a local community of Amish farmers who travel in horse-drawn carriages.

Shapiro pointed out that the bridge is near several historic sites that are being preserved, including the Thomas McLean home, Susan B. Anthony’s childhood home, and Stoops Hotel, all of which are listed on the state and national historic registers, as well as the historic Battenville Cemetery just east of the bridge.

“The bridge is an important part of a setting with multiple structures of historic value,” Shapiro said. “Among other benefits, this is bringing more attention to this area and creates the potential to become a destination for tourism.”

Donahue said transportation officials will consider these and other issues in the months ahead.
“Ultimately our job is to ensure that people can travel safely on our roads and bridges and do that in a cost-effective way,” she said. “We’re going to weigh everyone’s opinions on this and hope that we can find a solution that is acceptable to all parties involved.”