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THE BRIDGE ON LAKE STREET, LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF THE CROSS STREET INTERSECTION, WILL BE RESTRICTED TO ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC UNTIL IT CAN BE RECONSTRUCTED.

A RECENT INVESTIGATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE BRIDGE INDICATED THAT YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO ROAD SALT, COMBINED WITH SOME VEHICLE COLLISIONS TO THE ABUTMENTS, HAS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION OF THE STRUCTURE. ENGINEERS FROM STV INCORPORATED HAVE THEREFORE RECOMMENDED THAT THE BRIDGE BE LIMITED TO ONE VEHICLE AT A TIME AND THAT VEHICLES SHOULD UTILIZE THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE ONLY.

UPON RECEIPT OF THE STV RECOMMENDATIONS, THE DPW MET WITH THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT SAFETY PERSONAL AND THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR. AS THE BRIDGE IS ALREADY VERY NARROW AND MOST MOTORIST YIELD TO ALLOW ONE CAR A TIME TO CROSS AT A TIME NOW, IT WAS DECIDED TO ALLOW TRAFFIC IN BOTH DIRECTIONS WITH YIELD SIGNS PLACED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

THE DPW HAS ORDERED SIGNS TO WARN MOTORISTS ALONG THE LAKE STREET, CROSS STREET, AND SOUTH MAPLE STREET CORRIDOR. SIGNS WILL ALSO BE POSTED TO MINIMIZE TRUCKS FROM USING THE BRIDGE. AS SOON AS THE SIGNS ARE AVAILABLE THEY WILL BE PLACED. IN ADDITION, JERSEY BARRICADE WILL BE PLACED ON AND NEAR THE BRIDGE TO GUIDE TRAFFIC INTO THE MIDDLE SECTION. ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTING WILL BE INSTALLED IF VIABLE.

MOTORISTS TRAVELING ALONG LAKE STREET ARE ASKED TO USE ADDITIONAL CAUTION IN THIS AREA. TRUCKS ARE ASKED TO SEEK ALTERNATE ROUTES.

FUNDING FOR THE BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT WILL LIKELY BE ON THE MAY TOWN MEETING WARRANT. THE PLANS WERE PREPARED A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION HAS ISSUED THE REQUIRED ORDER OF CONDITIONS. IF FUNDING IS APPROVED IN MAY, THE RECONSTRUCTION SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF 2009.