The Region

Crews have begun working on fence and guardrail along VT 142 and the new bridge and this work will continue into next week. While the installation of traffic signals and lights has been completed, it’s anticipated that crews will continue working on the installation of solar panels and coordinating the timing of the signals with the Town and State. Paving of the driveway entrance to 28 Vernon Street and some potholes in the parking lot was completed this past week.

Sign crews will continue placing signs for the new bridge next week. The signs will be covered until the bridge is ready to open. This crew will be accessing shoulders along approach routes to the project in a mobile work zone with a uniformed traffic officer.

The new bridge for New Hampshire/Vermont Route 119 is scheduled to be open to motor vehicle traffic by December 5th, 2024.

A new traffic pattern is scheduled to be in place in Brattleboro by the end of the day Thursday, December 5th. Barricades will be set up on Bridge Street to encourage local traffic only. Eastbound travelers to VT/NH 119 will need to turn onto Vermont Route 142 (Vernon Street) and access the new bridge at the new signalized intersection. Westbound traffic on VT/NH 119 will need to turn onto VT 142 north to proceed to U.S. Route 5 (Canal Street).

Pedestrian traffic should continue to utilize the existing accommodations on the truss bridges. The new bridge will remain closed to pedestrians until the Spring of 2025 due to continued contractor operations within the work zone.

Paving of the driveway entrance to 28 Vernon Street and some potholes in the parking lot is scheduled to take place one day next week as weather allows. Delays entering and exiting the lot may be encountered during this operation as the pavement must cool to a certain temperature for traffic to drive on it.

Installation of traffic signals and lighting at the new intersection of VT 142 and VT/NH 119 has been mostly completed with the exception of some solar power cells for the lights. This work will continue into next week. Coordination and timing of the signal with Brattleboro Department of Public Works and the Vermont Agency of Transportation signal operations will continue.

Sign crews will continue placing signs for the new bridge next week. The signs will be covered until the bridge is ready to open. This crew will be accessing shoulders along approach routes to the project in a mobile work zone with a uniformed traffic officer.

Crews will begin to install the traffic signals needed for the project beginning Monday, October 28th. Sign crews will begin placing signs for the new bridge next week as well. The signs will be covered until the bridge is ready to open. This crew will be accessing shoulders along approach routes to the project in a mobile work zone with a uniformed traffic officer.

Clean up continues on all parts of the project while the contractor removes overhang forms and strips, patches (if needed), and waterproofs exposed concrete. Removal of the temporary trestle, with its intermittent noise from the diesel hammer, is an ongoing process.

Final pavement was placed on VT 142. Crews will be mobilizing next week to work on the signal system in the intersection of VT 142 and VT/NH 119. Crews will also be working on guardrail and fencing systems. Work will continue at the Pier 1 site on the Barrows and Fisher property while the drainage in the area is planned and the finalized.

Clean up continues on all parts of the project while the contractor continues to take advantage of the weather to strip, patch (if needed), and waterproof exposed concrete. Removal of the temporary trestle, with its intermittent noise from the diesel hammer is an ongoing process.

The Hinsdale Bridge, Bridge Street, and Route 119, which were temporarily closed to traffic during the morning of October 16, 2024, have since reopened.

Concrete for the last moment slab was placed last week. Concrete will still be needed for some sign bases and sidewalk work, so concrete trucks will still be using local routes to reach the construction site when needed, and from time to time their proximity to a traveled road may require alternating one lane traffic controlled by flaggers.

The bridge was paved this week. Work on the Vermont approach to the bridge is to be completed this week. Paving there is scheduled to resume Monday, October 14, and should take two days. Final striping of VT 142 and the bridge is set for Thursday, October 17th. The reconfiguration of VT/NH 119 will require some temporary pavement markings at a later date when the bridge is ready to be opened to traffic.

Concrete for two of the three remaining moment slabs was placed this week, and the last is set to be placed Friday, October 4th. This is the last structural concrete needed for the project! Concrete will still be needed for some sign bases and sidewalk work, so concrete trucks will still be using local routes to reach the construction site when needed, and from time to time their proximity to a traveled road may require alternating one lane traffic controlled by flaggers.

The crew placing the waterproof membrane on the bridge deck is completing their work this week. Paving will begin Tuesday, October 8th, with a 1” layer of Bridge Base pavement followed by the 1 ½” bridge wearing course of asphalt.

Crews continue to take advantage of the weather and strip, patch (if needed), and waterproof exposed concrete as clean-up continues. This includes stripping of overhang forms.

Construction traffic can get onto the bridge from the Vermont end so motorists need to be aware of an increase in construction vehicles on VT 142, especially as they slow to turn onto the bridge.

This week, concrete was placed for the New Hampshire expansion joint as well as the adjoining deck end and overhangs, so the moment slabs adjacent to VT 142 are the last structures of the project in need of concrete. That placement of concrete for the moment slabs is set to be done Monday, September 30th. The proximity of the concrete trucks to VT 142 may require alternating one lane traffic controlled by flaggers.

Work is progressing steadily at the Vermont abutment. The expansion joint is now able to support vehicles, so construction traffic can now get onto the bridge, but only from the Vermont end. This will mean an uptick in construction vehicle traffic on VT 142.

This week, work was shifted to forming and finishing the New Hampshire expansion joint, so the formwork and rebar for the moment slabs adjacent to VT 142 will continue to be installed next week. Placement of concrete for the moment slabs should begin next week and carry into the following week. While the bulk of this work is away from the VT 142 roadway, the proximity of the concrete trucks to the road may require alternating one lane traffic controlled by flaggers.

Work is progressing steadily at the Vermont abutment while crews continue to work on the expansion joint and on moment slabs/sidewalks adjacent to VT 142.

Over the river, the overhang work with copings/sidewalks is progressing from east to west toward Vermont. Removal of the temporary trestle continues as does the intermittent sound of the diesel hammer.

At the Vermont abutment, crews have begun and will continue to work on the expansion joint. Work on moment slabs/sidewalks adjacent to VT 142 will begin and continue over the next few weeks.

Over the river, the overhang work with copings/sidewalks is progressing from east to west toward Vermont. Removal of the temporary trestle continues and nearby residents and workers can expect the noise of the diesel hammer to be heard intermittently between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday from now into the Fall.

Concrete for the last two bridge deck sections and the Vermont approach slab has been placed. Work on removing the last treatment tank from the Pier 1 site should be completed this week. The new traffic pattern is in place on the new alignment on NH 119 as of this week as well.

For the next couple of weeks, placement of concrete for the sidewalks and curbs will continue to advance from east to west. Work on the approach to the bridge from VT 142 will ramp up – including placing the moment slabs/sidewalk, installing the expansion joint at that end of the bridge, raising the approach to grade, installing the traffic signals, and final paving.

Multiple concrete placements are scheduled for the next 3 weeks for the bridge approach from VT 142 as well as the sidewalks and rail copings. A placement for sidewalk and curb is scheduled for Monday, and the Vermont approach slab is to be placed Wednesday. Both will require multiple truckloads of concrete.

Work on cleaning and removing the remaining two tanks from the Pier 1 dewatering treatment system will resume next week. Finish work of berm repair, grading, and paving in the Barrows and Fisher yard around Pier 1 also remains.

Formwork for sidewalks and rail copings is still being installed on the bridge deck. The installation of rebar for the bridge deck and the approach slab on the VT abutment will be completed this week. Multiple concrete placements are scheduled for next week for the bridge deck as well as the sidewalks and rail copings.

Paving of NH 119 finished earlier this week. Crews are scheduled to finish guardrail installation by the end of this week. Installation of asphalt curb and the application of pavement markings are scheduled for next week and the traffic pattern will remain as configured through these operations.

Formwork for sidewalks and rail copings is still being installed on the bridge deck. Concrete is being placed today into a portion of those forms, and that work will continue. Placing concrete for another deck section is scheduled for July 24th.

Additional rebar to complete the bridge deck had to be ordered, and installation of that should be finished next week.

The subgrade for the approach slab at the Vermont abutment has been graded in preparation for building forms and installing rebar next week.

Overhang formwork for the bridge deck and welding the girders to the VT abutment bridge shoes has been completed.

Crews are continuing to install stainless steel rebar for the bridge deck, and should complete that next week.

Conduit and hanger supports are being installed along the underside of the bridge this week, and should be completed early next week.