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Hampden council weighs $700K–$1M repair or alternate access for Manning Mill Bridge
Summary
Councilors and staff debated whether to finish the Manning Mill Bridge decking to restore its load rating or pursue a new road connection from Emerson Mill; staff cited a $700,000–$1,000,000 decking estimate and past bidding challenges.
Councilors at the Hampden Town Council workshop on March 23 asked staff to pursue direction for the Manning Mill Bridge after earlier work stabilized the piers but left the wooden deck in place.
"Basically, we wanted to come to you to discuss council direction on where you wanted us or how you wanted us to proceed with the Manning Mill Bridge repair," Staff member (S2) told the council, summarizing prior procurement efforts and noting a full-scope 2023 RFP drew no bidders while a 2024 RFP for revetment work had a single bidder.
Victor (S3), who answered technical questions during the discussion, confirmed the bridge's current posted load rating: "15 tons." He said the piers were stabilized during the earlier work but that "it would require a new deck" to raise the legal load rating and accommodate heavier vehicles. Staff cited a decking-and-rail replacement estimate in the town packet of roughly $700,000 and warned access and staging constraints could increase the final cost.
Some councilors favored repairing the bridge now to restore prior functionality. "The town should do whatever needs to be done to bring that back to standards," one councilor (S4) said. Others urged a wider look: building an alternate road from Emerson Mill could, they said, provide long-term capacity and remove heavy trucks from the single-lane structure, but councilors estimated that route could cost in the low millions and would require easements from multiple landowners.
Council direction: staff said they will continue to look for funding, and that, even with additional funds, it is unlikely the town could put the reconstruction contract out to bid and complete it this year. The staff recommendation remains to develop cost options and consult state DOT and potential funders before formal solicitation.
What happens next: staff will continue funding searches, pursue additional engineering clarification about decking options and staging, and return to council with recommended next steps and a financing plan.
