BARRINGTON -- The long-awaited demolition of the Barrington bridge got under way last week, and over the next month residents will see the historic structure falling away bit by bit.
The 338-foot concrete bridge has been out of use since 1997, when the temporary bridge connecting Barrington and Warren was constructed in anticipation of the bridge replacement.
Early projections put the date of completion for the new bridge in 2002, but various permitting delays have pushed the date back to 2006. The adjacent Warren River bridge, which crosses the Palmer River, is undergoing a similar process and should be done in 2008.
Providence's Shire Corporation, the demolition company hired by the state Department of Transportation, has been preparing for the work since November, and some components are already taking place: the contractor began driving sheeting into the bridge last Thursday, to enclose the structure as the demolition begins, according to Heidi Cote of the DOT.
Today the contractor plans to start removing the asphalt and sidewalks on top of the bridge. When that work is finished, the arches and parapet walls will come down -- but probably not until after Jan. 1, Cote said.
The bridge, which was built between 1912 and 1916, was deemed eligible in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989, as an early example of a reinforced concrete arch bridge.
Federal law requires the DOT to repair or give away historic bridges before demolishing them, and the DOT did offer to give away the Barrington bridge earlier this year, and to pay $1.5 million in relocation costs. Demolition costs $1.4 million.
However, no individuals or towns offered to take the bridge, and in the early 1990s the DOT had determined that the bridge was beyond repair.
To contact Jessica Ullian, phone 253-1200 or e-mail JUllian(at)projo.com.
