It is hard to believe, but the ribbon cutting ceremony for the 2011 Lake Champlain Bridge is set for today, November 7, at 2:30 pm.Read the article from the Burlington Free Press.
Just over two years ago (two years and one month), the 1929 Lake Champlain Bridge was closed to traffic. In December 2009, the decision was made to replace the bridge and on December 28, 2009 the bridge was demolished by way of explosion. Since then the old bridge was removed from the lake and the new bridge constructed. It is an amazingly short period of time for such a large construction project.
The new bridge looks fantastic and I’m excited to walk across on the sidewalks; the views are spectacular. If you’re driving through the Champlain Valley region, a visit to the new bridge and the adjacent historic sites will certainly be worthwhile.
While the new bridge will be open to traffic and the ferry shut down, there is still a lot of work to be done. The cleanup process will take a while and next year the historic sites will be restored (and enhanced).
I’ve been studying the case of the 1929 bridge and working with the 2011 bridge since I started grad school in September 2009. It’s been quite a ride! Here are a few photo flashbacks:
November 2009.
June 2010.
Setting the first girder - January 27, 2011.
View from Vermont, April 14, 2011.
August 2011.
Lake Champlain Bridge Arch Lift on August 27, 2011.
My how far we’ve come. To find all of the Preservation in Pink posts about the Lake Champlain Bridge click here. More to come!
Preservation in Pink 