Weirs bridge project now set to begin Monday

LACONIA — Work to replace the bridge on Route 3 which goes over the railroad tracks in Weirs Beach will begin next Monday, now that state officials in Vermont have agreed to let critical components be shipped out.

The $1.18 million project, which was due to start on April 6, had been on hold because precast concrete beams could not be shipped from Vermont because the firm where they were located was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The crux of the problem was that under the order issued by Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, construction and paving firms were designated as nonessential businesses, and so were ordered to shut down, according to Laconia City Manager Scott Myers. However, New Hampshire deemed construction and paving to be deemed essential businesses, and so construction, such as highway projects, in the Granite State has continued.

The red-listed bridge will be closed to all traffic for about four weeks — the time it is expected to take to install the new bridge supports and decking.

The state designates red-list bridges as those that are “structurally deficient.” This bridge was built in 1933. Its stone abutment predates the Civil War — 1848.

"The closure ... will likely extend through the Memorial Day weekend," the DOT statement said.

Once that part of the job is completed the bridge will be open to alternating one-way traffic until the entire project is finished.

"This project ... was delayed based on a delivery postponement of critical materials due to COVID-19 pandemic constraints. Now ... materials are available," the state Department of Transportation said is a statement released to the media.

Because of the delay in the Weirs bridge project, crews have been rebuilding Union Avenue between Walnut and Stark streets. Laconia Public Works Director Wes Anderson said last Friday that work will be “buttoned up” before the Weirs project gets underway.

While the bridge is shut down to all traffic, a temporary grade crossing will the installed near Channel Lane for use by emergency vehicles only.

All other traffic will have to take an 18-mile detour around the area, using Roller Coaster Road, Parade Road, Elm Street and Union Avenues. There will be special pedestrian detour through Endicott Rock State Park.

A report released by DOT last month, lists the Route 3 bridge as "failing" — the middle category of five red-list categories. The deck and superstructure are in poor condition, and the substructure is in fair shape, according to the report. The bridge has been red-listed since 2009.