westford2

Reported by Phil Pierce
Westford, August 25, 2000 - I think it is official that the Town and Historical Society have accepted the bid of Renaud Brothers to rehabilitate the bridge and foundations and move it back on the abutments. It is unclear about the schedule, but will be done by the middle of next year; maybe much sooner. A synopsis of the work to be done:
        The existing timber structure needs some additional work. The top chord of the south truss has been attacked by Powder Post Beetles and must be replaced (hopefully no other members will be found to be affected). A few members must be replaced (one tie beam, a couple of laterals, and a couple of posts). Some missing bottom kickers between the bottom chord and the posts must be replaced. The large bolster beams installed earlier must have some additional shear keys installed.
        The foundations need to have new concrete caps and the East Abutment has a bad concrete facing on the downstream side that must be replaced.
        The Town must provide some matching funds (equivalent work) and the final distribution of who will do what is somewhat up in the air. The Town will at least do the final site finishing work and may install a timber plank deck.

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Westford, March 29, 2001 - With Renaud Brothers Construction on the job it looks very much like the old bridge is beginning its final lap on the journey back to its rightful place; over Browns River where it was built 165 years ago.
        The journey began in February, 1987 when Westford residents called a special meeting to save the bridge and the Westford Historical Society was formed. Fourteen years ago! One can only wonder at the tenacity and dedication with which Caroline Brown and her team pursued their dream to restore this historic bridge. Congratulations! Now my fingers are crossed, and they will remain so until the day arrives in the not too distant future when the bridge sits again on its abutments where it is meant to be.

Work has sterted on Westford's Browns River Covered Bridge. Notice the "K" frame brace. The gable end sheathing has been removed to access the upper chord and bracing.→

Scaffolding has been installed to facilitate the replacement of the upper chord. The internal lateral bracing has been tightened with new wedges. The "K" frame braces will prevent racking during repairs. →

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Westford, Wednesday April 18 - This day found the south side of the roof raised and the upper chord lifted out and placed on saw horses on the ground beside the bridge. Two modern-day timber framers, Phil Pellerin and John Ferlin, were hard at work duplicating the joinery used by the builders of the bridge back in 1838.
        "We do timber framing down in southern Vermont," said Pellerin. "We team up with Mike [Renaud] whenever he gets a bridge."
        Pellerin and Ferland had worked with Renaud on the Hopkins Covered Bridge in Enosburg and on the West Dummerston Covered Bridge. Both use the Town lattice truss. Westford's bridge uses a multiple-kingpost truss with a Burr Arch.
        Westford's Bridge, also known as the Browns River Bridge was long thought to be ready to move back over the river after repairs were made to the abutments. However, when Phil Pierce was hired as project engineer, he found other problems. See the story "Bid to Rehabilitate The Browns River Bridge Accepted" for details.
        The plan is to replace the upstream upper chord and some other members, repair the abutments, then move the bridge over the river in July of this year. "Yup," said Pellerin, "We'll put it on two trailers, move it down the road."

The original chord is laid beside the new timber while John Ferland (left) and Phil Pellerin transfer measurements and cut the mortises and splices into the new chord. →

The new chord will duplicate the original chord which consisted of three timbers spliced together. Note the "compression" splice in the end of the new piece. The splice on the original timber has been cut to reveal the rot in the center. →

A close-up of the cut away end of the original timber. Holes drilled by powder-post beetles are evident, some of them indicated by the arrows. →

In the foreground a new king post is being prepared. The plywood device perched on the end of the new chord-timber is a pattern used to dimension the cuts for the joinery. A new tie beam can be seen in the right background. →

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Westford, Friday April 27 - A week and one-half has elapsed since the last visit to the site and the cord sections and timbers that were being crafted on the ground next to the bridge had been completed and installed into the truss. The plan had been to move the bridge back to the river in July. The work has been going well enough, it is possible the move may begin in June, Mike Renaud said. The planned repairs to the abutments, which will be subcontracted, still need to be done.

The upper chord is in position above the kingposts. The tenons at the top of the kingposts can be seen waiting to be set into the prepared mortises. →

The mortise in the chord end is ready to receive the tenon at the top of the end-post. Notice the rafter seats. →

A brace is being fitted between a kingpost and a tie beam. The ends of the tie beam are lapped to seat on top of the chord. All of these joints are fastened by mortise and tenon. The timber below the tie beam is temporary bracing. →

The chord is now seated onto the kingpost tenons and secured with hardwood pegs, also referred to pins, dowels, or treenails. The cluster of pins in the side of the chord between the leftmost kingposts mark the compression splice joining the chord-members. →

The roof system is braced high so the upper chord can be worked on. The crossed members between the tie beams are part of the bridge's lateral bracing system. →

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Westford, Monday May 7 - With the upper chord work completed on the east side and those new kingposts installed, work has begun on the north side. There, the roof has been lifted to allow the installation of a kingpost and part of the upper chord.

The roof is raised and a rotted section of the original chord has been removed. The carpenters are installing a new kingpost. →

This view of the installation of a new kingpost shows the lapped lower end of the vertical timber as it is fitted into its recess in the lower chord. Note the vacant bolt-holes in the arch member and in the lower chord. The carpenter's hand grips the top of the post next to the tenon that will fit into the mortise in the bottom of the new chord-section. →

The new upper chord section has been readied for lifting into place. Note the large timber below the lower chord. This is a bolster beam. When the bridge is on its abutments, the bolster beam is placed on top of the bed timbers and projects beyond the face of the abutment out over the stream, "bolstering" or reenforcing the parallel chord trusses, shortening the clear-span. →

The new upper chord section is fork-lifted into place. →

The Upper chord and two new kingposts have been installed on the south side of the bridge. Notice that the braces have been fitted into the seats or steps cut into the top and bottom of each kingpost. Notice the bottom of the right-most post extends beyond the bottom of the lower chord. This is called a knob, necessary on a tension member. The new bolts can be seen at each kingpost station, through the arch-members, lower chord and bolster beam. A new "kick brace" can be seen at the top of the left-most kingpost. →

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Westford, Monday May 14 - With the roof system back down onto the top chords, work on the roof sheathing begins.

Off with the old: making ready for the new roofing. →

Stripped of the shingles, light shows through the purlins. →

Stripped to the purlins, the roof is prepared for its new covering. →

The destination, the north abutment awaits repairs. →

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Westford, Wednesday May 16 - As the carpenters put the finishing touches on the bridge, work begins on the abutments.

The roof is prepared for sheathing while the planking on the portal is renewed. Work continues on the bridge floor system. →

Work on the north abutment begins with excavation. →

Back view of the excavated abutment. →

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Westford, Friday May 18 - Almost there!

West portal with new sheathing. →

A good start with the new 24 gauge sheet- steel standing-seam roofing. →

7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. →

Almost there! →

The roof is finished at 2:30 p.m. →

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Westford, Friday June 1 - Abutment Work Underway!
Asked for the date of the BIG MOVE, Caroline Brown replied: "I don't have a date yet, I'll let you know ASAP. Now with all the wet weather . . . the abutments have to be done, my guess at this point will be late June or July for the move . . . the concrete has to set a bit."

Excavating continues around the broken down-stream wing-wall of the north abutment.→

A piece of the broken concrete wing-wall is hauled aside. →

The forms for the new wing-wall footings are under construction. The south abutment is in good shape. According to contractor Mike Renaud, all that is needed there is a new cap. →

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Westford, Wednesday June 6 - Wing-wall Poured! Hallelujah!
As the newly poured concrete begins to set, other preparations for the move of the Browns River Bridge can begin.

The wing-wall footing has been cast and the forms removed. The form for the wing-wall itself is being assembled.→

The wing-wall forms are assembled and nearly ready for the pour. →

What we have been waiting for: the Big Pour begins. →

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Westford, Tuesday June 12 - With the abutments nearly ready the date for the BIG MOVE is soon to be set!

The new wing-wall on the north abutment has been cast and the forms removed.→

The forms are prepared for casting the new cap on the south abutment. The north abutment will require a cap as well.→

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No part of this web site may be reproduced without the written permission of Joseph C. Nelson
Photo copyright © Joseph C. Nelson, Caroline Brown, respectively
This file posted March 30, 2001, revised July 3, 2001