Furnace Street Bridge Removal Imminent

The Manchester Village Council unanimously voted at its Oct. 19 meeting to contract with Anlaan, the contractor working on the Main Street Bridge, to remove the old Furnace Street Bridge while the equipment is in town.

In 2004, engineers TetraTech MPS did a feasibility study for the village on removing and replacing the long-closed bridge with a one-lane pedestrian timber bridge. Cost projections on mobilization and removal alone exceeded $55,000 at that time. With equipment already in the village for work on the Main Street Bridge, the cost will be about half of the earlier estimates.

The current estimate from Anlaan of $23,000 is all-inclusive, which means the bridge will be removed and hauled away. The village is responsible to have a few trees trimmed, and paying Consumers Energy to disconnect and reconnect power lines in the vicinity. The fencing and guardrails surrounding the bridge will also be removed and returned to place.

Removal of the current one-lane structure has been a part of the Council’s “Goals and Objectives” for many years. Replacing the river crossing with a pedestrian bridge will remain on the list of goals for the future.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.