Date: Fri 24-Oct-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Greenways-bridge-Hurley

Full Text:

Hurley To Greenways: "I've Got A Bridge You Might Be Interested In"

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Fred Hurley has a bridge and the Greenways Committee is hoping it can use it

to extend its system of trails throughout town.

Mr Hurley, the town's director of public works, has a "Bailey" bridge in

storage which could reportedly be used to span the Pootatuck River in the

Rocky Glen State Park. The area is considered to be a "major bottle neck" to

the trail system. Black Bridge used to cross the river there, but with no

decking and only the steel beams remaining, the bridge is unusable. Without a

bridge, the river brings two trail systems to an abrupt end in this area.

"The bridge would allow us to come a lot further up from Sandy Hook and the

high school to Upper Paugussett," explained Greenways chairman Gary Fetzer.

Originally, Greenways was looking to purchase a new bridge for $80,000. The

group hopes the highway department's bridge could be used to allow foot and

equestrian traffic. The only cost would be in the installation, which could be

covered with the remaining money from the Iroquois Gas Transmission System's

Land Preservation and Enhancement Program.

"It's like someone asking you if you wanted to buy a bridge," said Mr Fetzer,

referring to the old Brooklyn Bridge joke.

According to highway department director Joe Tani, the bridge was temporarily

used to span the railroad tracks on Hanover Road about ten years ago. At the

time, the state ordered that all of the old wooden bridges be removed, so the

town bought the bridge from a man in England. Mr Tani said the bridge is like

a big erector set, put together with pins and lock rings. At the time, the

bridge was put up by the highway department.

Mr Tani said a crane may be required to install the bridge.

The Greenways Committee met Tuesday night for the first time in several

months, continuing its pursuit to connect all of Newtown's trail systems.

The group took a step backwards this past summer when the Legislative Council

voted to use $400,000 of Iroquois money to purchase the 13-acre Amaral

property off Elm Drive. Greenways had been counting on that money for the

purchase of passive open space.

Removal of the old structure would cost about $20,000 with an additional cost

of $15,000 for site work.

After crossing the bridge from the Sandy Hook side, hikers would be able to

follow the trail up an unimproved section of Black Bridge Road and into Upper

Paugussett State Forest.

The Greenways Committee continues to map all available open space in town. It

will have to eventually acquire easements from some property owners to be used

as trails to connect Newtown's major open space areas, which include Upper

Paugussett State Forest near Lake Lillinonah, Lower Paugussett State Forest

near Lake Zoar in Sandy Hook and the Hattertown/Poverty Hollow area.