Great Barrington — The Brookside Road bridge, which was unexpectedly closed by the state’s Department of Transportation on May 2 after a routine inspection, will remain closed according to Town Manager Mark Pruhenski.
Town officials met with representatives of MassDOT regarding the bridge on Wednesday, May 22. Pruhenski wrote to town officials via email that engineering and design teams from MassDOT were strategizing their next steps on the bridge at the meeting. “Unfortunately, I don’t have good news to share, but that probably won’t surprise anyone,” Pruhenski wrote in his email. “[MassDOT] is recommending a full replacement of the bridge. The abutments appear to be in decent/good condition, but the structure is not. Repairs to the bridge or a temporary structure, while possible, are not recommended. Both options would only delay and complicate the full replacement. A temporary crossing would also jeopardize funding sources.”
Pruhenski wrote that the bridge would remain open to bicyclists and pedestrians. ”The suggested detour route is Maple Avenue in Sheffield,” Pruhenski wrote. “East Sheffield Road in Great Barrington and Kellogg Road in Sheffield are not recommended alternatives and the detour route signage is in place in both towns.”
Pruhenski wrote that the expected timeline for the design, permitting, and replacement for the bridge is four years, and the estimated cost for the project is in the “$3.4 million range.”
The truss-style bridge crossing the Housatonic River was built in 1949, with a total length of 148.3 feet and a span length of 142.7 feet.
