AMHERST — A bridge on Station Road that carries traffic over the Hop Brook is closed to vehicles after an inspection this week, found it to be structurally deficient.
Town engineer Jason Skeels said Thursday that while minor surface deformation and cracks in the surface pavement and some rust on the bridge’s I-beams had caused concern in recent years, it was only after recent heavy rains that a deep pothole formed in the asphalt adjacent to the bridge abutment.
“Upon further investigation and inspection of the supporting steel I-beams we determined that there was now significant rust and some minor deflection in the beams,” Skeels said.
The situation prompted officials to contact engineers with the state’s Department of Transportation bridge section, who inspected the bridge and agreed with town staff that the bridge should be shut down to vehicular traffic.
How long the road, which serves as one of three main east-west routes for travelers between Amherst and Belchertown, is closed is unknown, though Skeels said the town is seeking replacement options, with the possibility of a temporary replacement within three to four months
Grants have been sought since the bridge’s surface fatigue was first noticed, he said.
Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the closing of Station Road will be an inconvenience to a number of Amherst and Belchertown residents, but he is confident that people who live along the road and in the Amherst Woods section of town will still get prompt responses from the police and fire departments in case of emergency.
”It won’t compromise public safety,” Bockelman said of the bridge closure.
Most people who commute using Station Road will be able to use either Route 9 or Bay Road. Skeels is one such commuter and estimates it could add five minutes to his commute.
“It’ll be a little different for everyone depending on their origin and destination,” Skeels said.
Bockelman said signs are in place advising people about the bridge closure, though bicyclists and pedestrians will still be allowed to cross it.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
