The approach to the rail trail bridge spanning the Wallkill near Springtown Road in New Paltz will be torn down by early next month and the contractor will have until September 20 to prep the site. That’s when the new one will be delivered, assembled and installed.
This news was given at the July 20 New Paltz Town Council meeting. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is slated to become part of the state-spanning Empire Trail, making the replacement of this crossing a point of keen interest. The bridge was closed months ago out of concern that it was unsafe, particularly when it was used for motor vehicles for which it was not designed.
The bid specifications were completed in time for a special meeting on July 24, at which time the project was put out to bid for a week, bids to be read on August 2 at 2 p.m. The lowest conforming bid will be announced the following day, and that contractor will be advised to get to work. Board members authorized up to $11,253.20 for demolition in the meantime.
The beams that will be removed are OK, and will be used on the Rosendale trestle. Board members were amenable to selling them to the Wallkill Valley Land Trust for the cost of delivering them, which would save the town the dump fees for disposing of the heavy beams.
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