LEBANON — City and state officials have agreed to a series of compromises they hope pave the way for the long-awaited reconstruction of a West Lebanon bridge that carries Route 12A over a set of railroad tracks.
The City Council last week approved splitting the cost to build an access road into the Westboro Rail Yard with New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation.
The agreement, which will cost Lebanon about $425,000, is the last sticking point holding up work on the “Dry Bridge” that connects shopping centers on Route 12A with downtown West Lebanon.
City leaders hope the money also will lend support to their wishes to lease a portion of the historic rail yard and have the state demolish its dilapidated structures.
“West Lebanon deserves a lot more than what’s happened so far,” City Councilor Erling Heistad said in an audio recording of last Wednesday’s meeting. “We should try to move forward with this as rapidly as possible.”
Work on the bridge, which was built in 1949, was scheduled for 2017. But several issues between Lebanon and the DOT have held up construction, according to City Manager Shaun Mulholland.
Messages left for DOT spokeswoman Eileen Meaney on Friday were not returned.
State officials initially wanted the new bridge to be 22-feet tall, which would require a “much longer” structure and could make it difficult for nearby homeowners to turn onto the road, he said.
The turn from driveways “would be so steep to try to get up onto the roadway,” Mulholland said during a phone interview last week.
The two also butted heads over width requirements and the sloping of a property the city purchased nearly two years ago to better access the rail yard.
Mulholland said the city wanted a retaining wall that would help preserve the lot’s value. It purchased the property for $235,000 in 2018 and has since torn down its single-family home.
The city also wanted a new right-hand turning lane for those turning toward Seminary Hill. The lane, officials said, would reduce queuing at the Main Street intersection.
After months of negotiations, city and state engineers agreed to compromises on the bridge height and width. Lebanon accepted a smaller retaining wall on its property, and the state agreed to the additional turning lane.
But it wasn’t until last week that the two entities agreed to funding for a new access road that will lead down into the rail yard. The city wanted the state to pick up 80% of the roughly $850,000 tab, while state officials called for a 50/50 split.
The road could lead to a future park in the old rail yard and also allow Rymes Propane & Oil, which leases a section of the yard from the state, to more easily deliver fuel.
Fuel trucks currently have to use Railroad Avenue to access Main Street, a difficult turn that usually takes up two lanes, Mulholland said.
The bridge reconstruction project would take place over 18 months on a staggered schedule, according to City Engineer Brian Vincent.
Lanes would be shifted to allow for continued two-way traffic, he said. The DOT initially pushed for closing the bridge, saying it could shave about $1 million off the project’s roughly $9 million price tag.
“But the impact to residents would be pretty heavy,” Vincent said. “The city is definitely more interested in maintaining traffic during construction.”
The project is much needed, according to a state bridge inspection report issued Jan. 28.
DOT inspectors found its pavement is “cracked, potholed and heavily rutted.” Heavy rust and exposed rebar were found in some sections, and several portions of the railing were missing.
The bridge also is on New Hampshire’s “red list,” meaning it is inspected semi-annually instead of every two years.
Mulholland said bridge reconstruction is expected for 2022 at the earliest. However, state revenue shortfalls predicted as part of the COVID-19 pandemic could delay work further.
“The state’s going to have a significant revenue hit, and it’s going to have to make some decisions,” he said. “Everything really is uncertain.”
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.