LOCAL HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF HADLEY
OLD BOW BRIDGE
The long struggle to reopen the town's 119-year old bow bridge appears finally to be over, as two state agencies have approved a plan that will allow the bridge to reopen.Not only will the approvals mean the historic parabolic bridge will be saved, but for the first time since 1984. When the bridge was closed because of safety concerns the two sides of town will be directly connected.Officials from the state Transporation Department and state Office of Historic Preservation said this week that the two agencies have approved a plan to add supports below the bridge, strengthening the structure to again allow one way vehicular traffic. The agency approvals are a reversal from earlier this year, when plans to reopen the bridge were threatened by disagreements between the two agencies. County officials said discussions appeared so dire that there was talk that the bridge might have had to be town down. But the state Office of Historic Preservation decided that since the support system would be below the bridge, therefore not visible, the agency would approve the plan, spokeswoman Cathy Jiminez said."Visually, the historic structure will remain the same and it will get the support it needs to allow traffic," Jiminez said.
Peter Van Keuren, regional public information officer for the state Transportation Department, said his agency was also satisfied with the proposal.A key stipulation, Van Keuren said, was no posted weight limit for the bridge. When the bridge was open years ago, Van Keuren said there were reports of vehicles exceeding the posted weight limit using the bridge. The potential of that happening again posed too great a safety risk to allow any plan with weight restrictions for the bridge."We're glad we could come to an understanding," Van Keuren said. "It would have been a pity to see it taken down. We're also happy for the village. We know it's important to them."Town Supervisor Thomas Mason agreed, noting the bridge's closure meant motorists have had to drive through Lake Luzerne to get to the other side of Hadley. That's been devastating to businesses in the hamlet area of Hadley, Mason said.While pleased that construction of the bridge support system should start early next spring, Mason said the long struggle has been frustrating. Officials and local residents have worked at reopening the bridge for about seven years, Mason said."It's taken almost three years for them (the state) to do it," Mason said. "It's sad that state agencies can hold something up for so long."
That said, Mason added that the reopening of the bridge should coincide well with the planned construction of water "rodeos" below the bridge, which will lure whitewater enthusiasts. John Duncan, owner of Sacandaga Outdoor Center, said he's been working for about eight years to get the necessary approvals to enhance the area of the Sacandaga River below the bridge.In April, when the water level is low, Duncan said he hopes to finally have the work completed, which involves placing large boulders strategically to create bigger rapids. With the amount of water flowing in the Sacandaga River, the area should be a major attraction for kayakers who look for large rapids to perform freestyle tricks, Duncan said.Coupled with the scheduled bridge work, Duncan said the town could see a big tourism boost."Hopefully it will help put Hadley on the map," Duncan said.
To date, work has already been started on the re-construction of this historical landmarklocated in Hadley, New York.
This web site was prepared for the New York State Department of State Division of Coastal
Resources with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund.