Select Board authorizes trail club to rebuild Parsons Way bridge if grant and land permissions are secured

The Bow Select Board on May 27 voted to authorize the Snowmobile Club / Bow Pioneers to rebuild a deteriorated trail bridge on Parsons Way, subject to the club receiving its anticipated Granite Aid grant and confirming landownership and permissions.

Trail need and plan

Mark Dubey, trailmaster for the Bow Pioneers, described the bridge as worn and in need of replacement. "It's just a 20 20 foot long bridal, 10 foot wide, 20 foot long bridge," Dubey said; the club proposed replacing the decking and supporting timbers and using heavier lumber (4x6 timbers) and slightly larger gaps between boards to improve longevity.

Board action and conditions

Select Board members moved to authorize the club to proceed with the bridge rebuild on the condition that the club receives its summer Granite Aid grant (award to be made after July 1) and that the town verify ownership/permissions for the parcel (the board amended the motion to require confirmation that the parcel is town‑owned or that necessary landowner permissions are obtained). The amended motion passed unanimously.

Logistics and materials

Dubey said the club plans to remove and properly dispose of the existing timber deck and reuse the cleared area for the new structure. The club’s past bridge work used heavier timbers in known wet, shaded areas to extend service life; the presenter said the same approach would be used for Parsons Way.

Ending

The authorization is contingent on grant award and ownership permission; if those conditions are satisfied the Snowmobile Club will proceed with construction and return any required documentation to the town.