MONSON — At its Oct. 22 meeting, the Monson Select Board voted to reduce the weight limit for the bridge on Bunyan Road from 20 tons to 5 tons due to concerns with the bridge’s condition.
The decision came after work was recently completed at the bridge by town staff to repair “deep ruts [and] deep holes” in the galvanized portion of the bridge during the week of Oct. 13, Highway Surveyor Ben Murphy explained.
He noted that the repair work was conducted by himself, staff from the Highway Department and Building Commissioner Justin Larivee under the advisement of the state and Monson Conservation Commission.
“Really, if we had to hire it out, it would have been a great expense,” Murphy said, explaining that the cost of repairs was only due to the cement and plywood materials used. He stated that the work consisted of 8 yards of cement.
While the bridge is not currently in a failing state, Murphy highlighted its “deteriorating condition” due to the number of heavy trucks that cross the bridge, such as trucks delivering or picking up logs, trash, oil and gravel.
Additionally, Monson Highway Department and emergency vehicles also utilize the bridge, although they would be exempt from the weight limit, Murphy noted. These vehicles serve 11 houses located on Bunyan Road, which are only accessible after crossing the bridge.
“If that bridge goes down, they’re stranded,” Murphy said of the Bunyan Road residents.
With the Select Board’s Oct. 22 decision, any owner of a vehicle weighing more than 5 tons could be held liable if the vehicle damages the bridge when crossing. To negate this liability, companies can apply for a permit for crossing the bridge with vehicles weighing more than 5 tons. Under this permit, the town would accept the damage liability, according to town counsel. Permits will be given out by the highway surveyor.
When asked about concerns from Bunyan Road residents, Murphy stated that residents he’d spoken with had expressed worries about deliveries of needed materials, such as heating oil. In response, he emphasized that such deliveries would not be prevented, but encouraged deliveries to be made in smaller trucks if possible.
“If you’re 300-400 pounds over, if you have to get something that’s not in excess of a super weight that we do not want on it, we’re not going to pull you over and write you up,” Murphy said. “We just need to protect that bridge for now. We’re trying to work on something to get something else up there. It’s in the works for future reference because, at some point, we’re not going to be able to cross that bridge.”
He noted that the reduced weight limit sign would allow the town to legally prevent excessive weight trucks from using the bridge.
When raising concerns, Bunyan Road resident Kenneth Gagne also noted beaver dams below the bridge and the possibility of a truck contaminating the water beneath the bridge if the truck was on the bridge when it failed.
Murphy agreed, later noting that the town’s Bunyan Road well was also beneath the bridge. He stated that he and the Town Administrator Jennifer Wolowicz would contact Republic Services, garbage collection service for the Bunyan Road residents, about the weight limit change.
Likewise, Wolowicz highlighted that residents should inform companies that they regularly use for larger shipments of the new weight limit and request that lighter trucks be used if possible.
The weight limit change was approved unanimously by the Select Board.
Any questions about the permits or weight limit on Bunyan Road bridge should be directed to the Monson Highway Department at 413-267-4135, Murphy said.
