After escrowing monies for the past few years, one of Bridgeport’s few historic landmarks will soon see some rehabilitation. Last week, a request for proposal to do work on the Bowstring Bridge that connects the tennis court/swimming pool parking lot to the basketball court area over Simpson Creek was released to area contractors.

 

“We’re looking to do a major rehabilitation of the bridge,” said City Engineer Tom Brown. “The bridge was actually rehabbed several years ago with monies that came from the (State) Historical Society. This time, it’s monies that Council has allowed to be set aside. Council has been looking at doing some repairs on it for a few years.”

 

The repairs are being done for two areas. First, several sections of the bridge have concrete that is crumbling on it and that will be fixed with a “shotcrete” procedure. Brown said that method will peel off all of the old material, replace it with a light concrete that is blown onto the structure and include a material that will help everything adhere to the existing bridge. 

 

“After that’s done, you will have to seal the whole thing down,” Brown said.

 

Another part of the project involves cracks in the foundation. According to Brown, the bridge needs a specialized plate put under to allow for the bridge to move during freeze and thaw situations. The entire bridge will be lifted to allow for that to happen.

 

“Once that is done, the bridge won’t be pulling against the footing because it can expand and contract during hold and cold periods,” Brown said.

 

The work is estimated to be in the high five figures, Brown said. A pre-bid conference will be held Wednesday (May 1) at 10 a.m. to tour the project area. Bids will be received from contractors until May 15 at 2 p.m. At that time, bids will be opened and read aloud in the conference room at the Bridgeport Municipal Complex.

 

“It’s an old bridge and has old specifications. It also has to meet historic specifications,” said Brown.

 

Due to its historic status, the bridge can only be repaired and improved to its original condition. Additions to the bridge are not allowed because the bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The original concrete arch bridge was built in 1924. Frank Duff McEnteer’s Concrete Steel Bridge Company constructed the bridge for The Bridgeport Lamp Chimney Company. It was initially restored in 1998 and was renamed “The Furbee Bridge” as its restoration took place under the tenure of the late Mayor Carl Furbee. Furbee was a proponent of restoring the bridge on behalf of his wife; the late Betty Furbee who the Mayor said appreciated the beauty and historical significance of the bridge.