The bridge was built in 1906 and its decking was reconstructed in 1983.
The waterfall at Puffer's Pond in August, 2011. The Mill Street bridge just downstream has been closed to traffic.View Mill Street Bridge closed at Puffer's Pond in a larger map
AMHERST -- The Mill Street bridge just downstream from the waterfall at Puffer's Pond has been closed indefinitely after a state inspection team found it unsafe for vehicular traffic.
Mill Street will be closed at Summer and State streets to all but local traffic. Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes, but town officials said the bridge will remain open for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
Amy Lane, assistant superintendent of operations for Amherst's Department of Public Works, said a team from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Bridge Inspection Unit released the results of a January inspection to the town Friday morning. The inspection found that rust had deteriorated the I-beams that support the structure, and the investigators' analysis of load scenarios determined that the beams had lost too much metal to support the weight of cars and other motorized vehicles.
The bridge was built in 1906 and its decking was reconstructed in 1983. Despite that fairly recent work, Lane said, the bridge is exposed to constant moisture from the dam, which accelerates the buildup of rust on the beams.
A message posted to the town website said that town officials will meet next week "to discuss the possible options for this bridge corridor." Lane said a date and time for the meeting has not been set.
Residents seeking additional information about the repair project can contact the Amherst Department of Public Works at (413) 259-3050 or publicworks@amherstma.gov.
The Department of Transportation operates five District Bridge Inspection Units statewide. Each unit is made up of 2-5 two-person inspection teams. The teams conduct about 2,400 above-water bridge inspections each year, according to the state website.
An 8-year, $3-billion "Accelerated Bridge Program" has seen the completion of 87 bridge projects as of June 1, 2012, according to a recent report on the program. Another 72 projects are under construction and 25 more are scheduled to begin within a year. Over 200 bridges are expected to be repaired or replaced under the program.