The Johnson Power House Covered Bridge collapsed under heavy snow fall March 8 of this year, the bridge was a 1870 Queenpost spanning the Gihon River located at the intersection of Pearl St. and 100C.

April 18, 2001 a meeting convened at the Johnson Municipal Office for discussions on the future of said bridge, joined by local officials, state AOT representatives, Vt. Covered Bridge Society members, and a representative from Sen. Jeffords office.

We have a few options,

  1. Do nothing
  2. Install side rails and open to traffic and leave as with only a deck
  3. Build a shell consisting of the walls and roof
  4. A total replacement including the deck and replace as authentic with no steel beams
  5. Replace the shell consisting of the walls and roof with a structure designed that would allow the steel beams to be removed from under the deck if at some time this was decided to do such.
The Selectboard leaned towards option 5, as this would give us the covered bridge back, and the ability to remove the steel beams if we ever felt the need to do so, but would still gives us the structure strength that we currently enjoy with reference to the deck.

We have a couple of possible funding sources:

State grant, Senator Bartlette and Representative Woodward are currently working to secure.

The present Covered Bridge Rehabilitate Program, will require application and a 5% Town match.

Senator Jefford's securing a earmarked Federal grant, this would be 100% funding but possibly as late as 2003 construction date.

At this time we are going forward with all 3 prospects with the guarantee of none, however very positive possibilities for all.

Summation: A State grant would probably be the quickest as far as getting construction started and will be the first option we will know the prospects of acquiring. An earmarked grant from the Federal government we would know in the september time frame, with a pay out in 2002, as well as the Covered Bridge Rehabilitate Program.

The State has inspected the bridge and found it to be safe and sound for traffic to cross it's deck. JB will provide to the Town within a couple of days the conceptual design and est. cost of replacement for Senator Bartlette to have for a State Grant. JB and/or Gil will provide to the Town within a couple of weeks a design and requirements for a guardrail installation so the Town may put this out for bid, and after completion re-open the bridge to traffic.

Attendees:

Thanks to all who participated and have interest in seeing the bridge reconstructed, thanks to the 800 plus people who have signed a petition asking for the bridge back, and special thanks for their efforts to Senator Jeffords, Senator Bartlette, and Representative Woodward.

Eric T. Osgood

Select Board Chair