One of the most-important days in the Peterborough bridge project is coming up, according to Director of Public Works and Assistant Town Administrator Seth MacLean, as the contractor will be pouring concrete for the bridge structure on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
“Big day,” MacLean said. “A lot of activity in the downtown and 202 that day.”
The work will take about 14 hours, going from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will involve 68 truckloads of concrete, with the trucks coming onto the site from both sides of the bridge to pour. The trucks will be coming and going every 20 minutes or so, MacLean said, and will deliver 750 cubic yards of concrete.
The activity will affect parking downtown, according to MacLean, as there will be additional workers on site to supervise the pour, as well as more engineers and a police presence to help with traffic control. There will also be a lane closure on Route 202, as there has been previously but with potentially more frequent stops, MacLean said. Concrete trucks will be parked on Route 101 to help keep traffic flowing on 202, but the trucks will be moving back and forth throughout the day.
When it’s done, MacLean said, the shape of the bridge will be clear to see.
“It will look very much like a bridge once it’s poured,” he said. “This is a huge event, and I think a lot of people will actually see the full arch shape of it – so this is a critical moment in the bridge project.”
Once it’s done, he added, the town and the contractor will be able to clarify the timeline once and for all and be sure whether the bridge will be open to traffic by its goal date of mid-December.
They are also planning for more potential delays, mostly weather-related. If it rains, the concrete pour will have to wait, because that would complicate and extend the day too long. The temperature is another, lesser concern, as if the weather is too warm, ice would have to be brought in to maintain the cement’s temperature.
For now, though, the pour is set to move forward.
“It’s a huge milestone after a ton of work, and I can’t wait,” MacLean said. “It’s going to be great.”