Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
DUXBURY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Powder Point Bridge in Duxbury offers more than just a beautiful view.
The iconic wooden bridge spanning across Duxbury Bay is also known for making "thump thump" noises whenever a car drives over its planks.
That sound may be going away, however, as the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is planning to demolish the bridge and replace it with one made of concrete and steel.
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"The Powder Point Bridge exhibits poor structural integrity and advanced deterioration," MassDOT writes on the project's webpage. "It is constructed entirely of timber and metal fasteners. The timber is not able to withstand the marine environment of Duxbury Bay causing it to rot."
First constructed in the 1890s, the bridge was rebuilt in 1986 after a fire. MassDOT says it will "continue to need routine maintenance unless replaced," which has led to "high costs for the Town of Duxbury and closure inconveniences."
A group of locals is trying to stop the demolition with a Save Our Bridge campaign, arguing that the Powder Point Bridge should instead be saved and repaired; the group also objects to the projected cost of over $150 million to build a new bridge.
Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
"This bridge is like family to me," Peter Randall, a 12th generation Duxbury resident, told WBZ NewsRadio Thursday. "It’s just a unique part of Duxbury. It’s part of the livelihood. People come down just to walk on the bridge, people come down just to drive over and see the view."
The campaign has created a petition to the National Park Service, requesting the agency "grant the Powder Point Bridge and its associated neighborhoods, vistas, and beaches historical status so we can protect them for future generations."
According to the petition, the group estimates repairing the bridge will "save the state and federal government about $132 million, money which can be spent to repair roads and bridges elsewhere in the state."
"We need something that takes you on a slow ride to the beach, and we think we can do that for about $20-40 million," said campaign member Christine Hill.
As of Thursday afternoon, the petition has collected nearly 6,000 signatures, more than a third of Duxbury's population.
WBZ's Chaiel Schaffel reports.