Covered Bridge
Needs Repair

Randolph selectboard took up the fate of one of the town’s three historic covered bridges last Wednesday.

Sue Scribner, chair of the Historic Covered Bridge Committee of the Agency of Transportation presented an update on rehabilitation the Kingsbury Covered Bridge, which is on the west side of Route 14 in South Randolph, just north of East Bethel.

The Kingsbury bridge is the most visible of Randolph’s covered bridges, as it stands close to the road with nothing to block the view. It is a modest affair and doesn’t handle much traffic. Mostly it serves the farm equipment of Sam Lincoln, but it can also serve as an alternate route to the East Bethel to Randolph Center road.

The bridge spans the Second Branch of the White River. This is not a very wide stream, and as a result the Kingsbury bridge gives an appearance of sitting in the middle of a farm field.

Scribner and engineer Sean James told the selectboard that needed rehabilitation of the bridge would cost $346,000 if the bridge is kept at the current four-ton capacity. Increasing the capacity to six-ton loads would make the cost $392,000, they said.

Several selectboard members, including Chairman Jim Hutchinson, said they leaned toward increasing the capacity of the bridges, since the added expense is just $46,000.

The engineers recommended salvaging the existing metal roof while replacing some rafters and doing more bracing. Some of the truss system needs to be replaced as well, they said, though abutments are in good shape. Complete replacement of the decking is recommended.

Discussion also turned to the suggestion that guard rails be placed in front of the bridge, which would alter its historical appearance considerably. The pros and cons of pre-weathered steel guardrails were discussed. Hutchinson said later that he might favor no guardrails at all—merely wooden posts to make sure people don’t drive into the bridge and damage it.

Fiber Optics

John Lutz of community broadband committee conveyed a request that the selectboard include in the Town Meeting Warning an article recommending that Randolph join other municipalities to establish a fiber communications network that would serve all businesses and residences with high-speed Internet, telephone and cable television.

Selectman Steve Springer received an OK to submit a grant to re-route and construct a trail at the Rabbit Track Town Forest above East Randolph.

Springer also led a discussion about the money owed by ClearSource Inc. for water and sewer allocations. The company has requested to lower their allocation and therefore their bill, he said.

A public meeting on the request will be held at a future date by the selectboard.

The board also scheduled a special meeting for Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. at the municipal building to complete the warning for Town Meeting.

Stewart Skrill was on hand to present reasons why the town should stop adding fluoride to the water system.

However, he was scheduled for just 10 minutes and told the board the presentation would take at least 30 minutes. Therefore, the board will hold a separate public information meeting on fluoride in the future.