The Sanborn Covered Bridge renovation project continues to be re-tooled

The Sanborn Covered Bridge renovation project continues to be re-tooled. The Select Board on Monday approved $11,818 in additional engineering costs. Project Manager Nicole Gratton said the revised plans are 75 percent complete and, as written, would raise the bridge four-and-a-half feet so that it is above the 500 year-flood level and provides one foot of freeboard. The plans will next go to the National Park Service, which will review them for compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. Consultants SLR International this summer recommended the Sanborn Bridge be removed to reduce flood impacts at the flood-prone intersection of Route 5/114/122. However, the town’s Hazard Mitigation Committee on Aug. 26 chose not to pursue the bridge removal option at this time. Instead, the committee asked the group behind the bridge project to re-engineer the design to reduce flood impacts, taking into account SLR International’s data.