Work On Danforth Brook Bridge Is Sidelined

Work being performed on Danforth Brook Bridge. Photo by James McElroy Jr.

Freedom—October 2, 2020—The project to replace the aging Danforth Brook Bridge on Ossipee Lake Road experienced yet another delay when Freedom officials on Wednesday closed the structure to trucks after tests revealed a load-bearing discrepancy with the approved bridge design.

In an email to Ossipee Lake Alliance, Freedom Town Administrator Ellen White said additional bore hole testing was completed a week and a half ago after a “boil” was detected shortly after removal of the existing bridge footing.

“In short, calculations from the testing do not support the load bearing capacity that was indicated in the original bridge design,” White wrote.

To err on the side of caution, White said the Select Board decided to limit traffic to passenger vehicles “in part due to the fact that the remaining bridge has been compromised with the work that has already been completed.”

The project engineering team is working on two options to resolve the load bearing capacity concerns. One is to install one larger footing instead of four to help spread the weight load, and the other is to drive additional pilings to help support the footings.

Once a choice is made, the town will determine and announce the implications to the project’s cost and timing for completion.

The $1.1 million project was approved last autumn after years of delays in obtaining state funds. The structure, built in 1925, is long past its 50-year life expectancy. Boat access to and from Danforth Pond was closed on August 10 as primary construction commenced.

Social media posts on Thursday indicated that signs were not yet in place to warn truckers that the bridge is limited to passenger vehicles.

 

8 Comments

  1. Audrey Mancuso 4 years ago October 3, 2020

    Just shut the bridge down & get the project completed before the snow flies! Ossippee Fire can cover our area for a short time. That inconvenience is minimal compared to dragging this out for months!

    REPLY
    • Kim Klepach 4 years ago October 3, 2020

      Are pick-up trucks (F350) allowed?

  2. Billy weaver 4 years ago October 4, 2020

    Ossipee*

    REPLY
  3. Bill Winter 4 years ago October 4, 2020

    I was wondering if the first option mentioned “to install one larger footing instead of four to help spread the weight load” was accurate?

    REPLY
  4. Bill Winter 4 years ago October 6, 2020

    Is anyone able to answer my question above?

    REPLY
    • Ossipee Lake Alliance 4 years ago October 7, 2020

      Bill, that was the option as stated by the town in its email to us.

  5. Bill Winter 4 years ago October 8, 2020

    Thank you

    REPLY
  6. download 4 years ago January 11, 2021

    Howdy very cool website!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. Rodina Hunter Dorison

    REPLY

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