HARDWICK – Since flooding in July 2023 damaged the East Main Street Bridge in Greensboro Bend, travelers between Hardwick, Walden, Stannard, Greensboro and Greensboro Bend have had to use the Bend Road Bridge instead.
photo courtesy Town of Hardwick
The East Main Street Bridge is located in East Hardwick and known as Bridge 31. That bridge became impassable when the road washed out during the July 2023 flood and was determined to be unstable during an inspection after the 2023 flood, then removed in 2024 when repair was considered impractical due to the increased water flow the 2023 and 2024 floods brought to the area.
As Hardwick continues working to recover from the historic 2023 and 2024 floods, the future of bridge 31 is now being evaluated.
The bridge is just one-half mile from the Bend Road Bridge and one option might be not replacing the bridge at all, says the report. To help determine what the best course of action is, the town asked those who travel through that area to respond to a survey. One hundred thirty-eight responses had been received at the time of a March 9 report which was presented to the select board at its March 19 meeting.
The survey summary reports, “. . . that the crossing functioned as a regular connector for individuals living or traveling within the immediate area, particularly for nearby residents and frequent regional users.”
One-hundred-one of those responding (73%) said, “Restoring the bridge feels important despite the cost. Just nine checked the box for “permanent removal feels more appropriate.”
With the report now in the hands of the Hardwick Select Board for decisions to be made about the next steps.
The report notes that FEMA has not approved any funding to replace the bridge and any cost not covered by FEMA would be the responsibility of Hardwick, despite its proximity to Greensboro Bend.
Reintroduction of the bridge would benefit travelers, but carry the usual costs of infrastructure and reintroduce a structure into the upper Lamoille River’s floodplain.
Permanent removal of the bridge and restoration of the river corridor would remove the structure at the river confluence with Stannard Brook and avoid major capital replacement costs, but potentially require traffic and safety mitigation.
One hundred and twenty-four of the 138 people responding reported using the bridge at least several times each month, with 71 using it daily.
Survey results confirmed that the bridge served a regional user base, with people using the bridge for a variety of reasons. Over half used it to access services or business and just under half on their commute to work. Visiting family or neighbors, traveling to school or childcare, for emergency or medical access, and farm or business use, all received at least 20 responses.
Most respondents reported that the current detour adds a modest amount of travel time, with roughly 75 indicating the change isn’t noticeable, or adds less than five minutes to their trips through the area.
More than half of respondents reported safety concerns with the alternate routes available to them, with 50 reporting those routes are much less safe.
The report suggests the select board “may wish to consider what additional information or analysis would be helpful before determining a long-term direction for the site,” and makes no final recommendation.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
