By the members of the Waitsfield Select Board
The Waitsfield Select Board is very concerned by the number and behavior of citizens of all ages – mostly youth – cavorting on, under, over and off of the Waitsfield Village historic covered bridge. They present not only a danger to themselves and their friends but to motorists making their way through the covered bridge from either direction. The problem is the worst it has ever been and can no longer be tolerated.
Concerns about kids climbing on and jumping off the covered bridge come up every year. The select board has sought legal advice and input from community members over the years about how best to deal with what for many seems to be a tradition or rite of passage. Signs to discourage people from climbing on and jumping off the bridge end up floating down river in less than an hour. The sheriff, constable, select board members, town staff and neighbors have tried to intervene but to no avail. With no mechanism for enforcement, there has been little anyone could do. Up until now, the select board has been reluctant to take a heavy hand.
But the situation has gotten worse and it will be only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. Unless matters improve, the select board will have little choice but to enact an ordinance that prohibits trespass on unauthorized areas of the bridge and results in fines and other enforcement measures. Parents will also be held accountable for the misbehavior of their children.
People think the select board has not been doing anything about this. That is not the case.
The new pedestrian bridge structure completed last fall resulted in unanticipated gaps between it and the vehicular travel way that attracts kids to climb under and through it, resulting in a terrible danger to themselves and others. The select board has investigated various options to remove the gaps. Most recently, a scope of work was advertised, but the one bid received was exceptionally high and will need to be re-advertised as quickly as possible. Fencing was installed to discourage this access, but the kids pull it down and go through anyway. This is not acceptable.
The new pedestrian bridge also resulted in new abutment areas that were not originally planned due to subsurface conditions encountered during construction. Because these areas are in the flood plain and historic preservation overlay district and because state and federal funds are involved in the rehabilitation project, plans to install a new metal railing on the new abutments required review by the development review board, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and the VTrans Historic Covered Bridge Committee. Their approvals were issued just this month and one condition must be satisfied before the zoning permit can be issued for installation of the new abutment railings. Meanwhile, temporary fencing was installed to discourage kids from climbing on and jumping off the new abutments, but they pull it down and do it anyway. This is not acceptable.
Lastly, kids climbing on the roof of the bridge caused substantial damage to cedar shingles and accelerated the need to replace the roof. Although everyone would prefer to replace the roof with new cedar shingles, the select board has received approval from the DRB and VTrans to replace it with standing seam or corrugated metal. This is in response to people insisting on climbing on it.
Theft from neighboring properties, vandalism, late-night partying, littering and people tossing objects into the river from the bridge are also serious concerns and cannot be tolerated.
The select board and neighbors all agree that we want people to enjoy the river and have a good time, which is another reason the select board has been reluctant to take a heavy hand. We ask that people not climb on and jump off the bridge and to please pick up after themselves. It is unfortunate that the persistent irresponsible behavior of a few has brought us to this point, but this is where we are.
Fixing the gaps, installation of the abutment railings and replacement of the roof will not happen overnight. In the meantime, we urge parents to take more interest in and responsibility for their kids hanging out at the covered bridge.
Members of the Waitsfield Select Board include Paul Hartshorn, Darryl Forrest, Kari Dolan, Sal Spinosa and Anne Bordonaro.
