BRATTLEBORO -- U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced a bill Thursday to increase funding for bridge repairs, though it is unclear if the Vilas, Charles Dana and Anna Hunt Marsh bridges would benefit if it becomes law.According to Shaheen's office, the legislation would maintain public safety and provide businesses and consumers with the infrastructure necessary in the 21st century."The Strengthen and Fortify Existing Bridges Act of 2014 (SAFE Bridges Act) would establish a program to provide funding specifically dedicated to repair and replace aging and deteriorating bridges," a statement reads.Built around 1930 as a "Symbol of Friendship" between New Hampshire and Vermont, the Vilas Bridge connects Walpole, N.H., to Bellows Falls and was closed in 2009 after a semi-annual inspection that found continued deterioration of the reinforced bridge deck. The closure has been a hot-button issue for Bellows Falls residents, who feel a broken promise is hurting their economy.A letter from Charles O'Leary, the then-commissioner of the N.H. Department of Transportation, to Nancy C. Muller, then the director and state preservation officer for the N.H. Division of Historical Resources, in 1993 stated the Vilas Bridge would be taken out of commission only under exceptional circumstances (such as natural disasters creating a serious safety hazard or another unforeseen situation). Muller also said there would be efforts would be made to maintain the 635-foot-long bridge.An estimated 4,600 vehicles crossed the structure on an average day at the time of its closure and village residents say businesses are suffering because the traffic from Walpole has been severed. New Hampshire owns 93 percent of the bridge.Pat Fowler, the president of the Bellows Falls Downtown Development Alliance (BFDDA), which has spearheaded efforts to reopen the Vilas, said she hopes the news of Shaheen's bill will bring more attention to the bridge.
She added, however, she has no idea where the Vilas falls on New Hampshire's priority list.Further down the state line, the Anna Hunt Marsh Bridge connects Brattleboro to Hinsdale Island, which is connected to Hinsdale by the Charles Dana Bridge. The two Pennsylvania truss bridges, built in 1920, are now considered "functionally obsolete." By federal highway standards, they are too narrow and have insufficient weight limits and vertical clearances. The structures are deemed by many to be essential for commuters and industry trucks, not to mention emergency vehicles.There is a plan to replace the two old bridges with a new one that begins near the stop light at the former Walmart location and spans over the railroad tracks, the Connecticut River and the southern portion of Hinsdale Island before touching down near Vernon Road south of the Marlboro College building.Hinsdale Selectman Jay Ebbinghausen, who have been involved in the project, said Shaheen's bill is "certainly excellent news." He told the Reformer the Southwest Region Planning Commission (SWRPC) had reached out to Shaheen's for help, as the bridges cross the stateline.A representative from Shaheen's office did not know if the Vilas would be affected if Shaheen's bill becomes law, but it would provide an extra $150 million a year for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation for two years, according to NHDOT's Public Information Officer Bill Boynton.Boynton said New Hampshire's funding shortfalls are well-documented and Shaheen is simply trying to get more money for the safety of her constituents.According to Shaheen's statement, nearly 15 percent of New Hampshire's 2,429 bridges are considered structurally deficient and more than 18 percent are considered functionally obsolete. That equals nearly a third of the state's bridges. On average, more than 2 million vehicles travel over bridges that are rated structurally deficient every day in New Hampshire."The condition of our bridges is unacceptable," Shaheen said in a statement. "Bridges in need of repair or unable to sustain the weight of heavy trucks and emergency vehicles impact jobs and the economy and put public safety at risk. My plan will help repair and replace New Hampshire bridges that are currently substandard and at the same time put Granite Staters to work."Nationally, one-quarter of all bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete as determined by Federal Highway Administration standards. The SAFE Bridges Act would increase the amount of funds the federal government dedicates to states for bridge repair by 50 percent, to $5.5 billion over two years.The SAFE Bridges Act, the companion to House legislation introduced by U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall (D-W.V.), has already been endorsed by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, America's Infrastructure Alliance, Transportation for America, the AFL-CIO, the Building and Construction Trades, and the American Highway Users Alliance, according to Shaheen's statement.Domenic Poli can be reached at dpoli@reformer.com, or 802-254-2311, ext. 277. You can follow him on Twitter @dpoli_reformer.