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Staff to post 10‑ton limits on two century‑old Keene bridges; emergency routing coordinated
Summary
City staff recommended — and the committee accepted as informational — posting 10‑ton load limits on the Beaver Street and Spring Street bridges after a structural review, with coordination underway for alternative routes for heavy commercial vehicles and emergency services.
City engineering staff told the Municipal Services, Facilities & Infrastructure Committee that structural evaluations and New Hampshire DOT inspection results require weight restrictions on two downtown bridges.
Brian Ruf said the city’s consultant, Hoyle Tanner, and the DOT inspection results support a 10‑ton maximum weight limit for Beaver Street Bridge (over Beaver Brook) and Spring Street Bridge (over Beaver Brook). He said the bridges are more than 100 years old, are beyond their serviceable life, and will be scheduled for replacement in the capital improvement program. Signs installing the weight limits will be placed at each approach in both directions, and staff have coordinated with emergency-response agencies about rerouting larger vehicles; staff said most passenger vehicles will be unaffected.
The committee voted to accept the staff presentation as informational. Staff noted that larger commercial vehicles, logging trucks, some city vehicles, buses and heavy delivery vehicles will need to use alternative routes and that the city is coordinating those reroutes with dispatch and emergency services.
