Support
Save Keeseville’s Historic Bridges
Here for the first time? Catch up on all the info here on this post! Updated Frequently!
Sign our Save the Bridge Petition here: http://chng.it/2Rt9NNKrYk
No donations please at this time.
Essex and Clinton County…we are depending on you!
$311 Billion in NYS infrastructure funding.
$10 Billion Infrastructure Project Approved
$1 Trillion Infrastructure Project Coming
$96 Million in BRIDGE NY funds (upstate)
Our Petition is up to 2,300+ Signatures and counting! Here is a list of other community groups, businesses and officials that have voiced their support. Do you have a community group that wants to voice their support?
Send an email to Keesevillehistoricbridges@gmail.com
1) Town of Ausable
2) Town of Chesterfield
3) Keeseville Community Development Corporation
4) Adirondack Architectural Heritage
5) Ausable Chasm
6) Keeseville Fire Department
7) Artistry Theatre
8 ) Champlain Valley Search and Rescue
9) Northeast Adventures
10) Keeseville Knights of Columbus
11) Teresa R. Sayward (former Assemblywoman)
12) Janet L. Duprey (former Assemblywoman)
13) Elizabeth Little (Senator)
14) Sandy Senecle (Town of Ausable Supervisor)
15) Jerry Morrow (Former Town of Chesterfield Supervisor)
16) Clayton Barber (Town of Chesterfield Supervisor)
17) Frederic H. Buck (Former Superintendent of Public Works)
18) Meegan Rock (Former Mayor of Keeseville)
19) Historic Essex
20) Ausable River Association
21) Lakes to Locks Passage
22) Friends of the North Country
23) Champlain Valley Heritage Network
24) William P. Chamberlain (Civil Engineer, Bridge Historian)
25) American Society of Civil Engineers Mohawk-Hudson Section
27) Assemblymember Dan Stec
28) North Country Creamery
29) Clover Mead Cafe & Farm Store
30) AuSable Brewing Company
31) Mace Chasm Farm
32) Clinton County Historical Association
33) Pawlowski Land Survey
34) Fuller Excavating
35) Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company
36) Arnold’s Grocery and Likker Lokker
37) Willow Hill Farm
38) Paradise
39) Rock Trailer Sales
40) Anne Porter, Independent Real Estate Broker
41) Adirondack Jazz Orchestra
42) Adirondack Jazz Repertoire Ensemble
43) Ausable Chasm Campground
44) Sharron L. Hewston Township of Jay Historian
45) Upper Jay Art Center
46) Mossbrook Lanscaping
47) Mossbrook Roots Flower Farm & Florist
48) McLean’s Family Restaurant
49) Marsha’s Homes
50) Marsha’s Buffalo Farm
51) Highland’s Vineyard
52) North Country Pizza & Food Co.
53) Keeseville Hometown Heroes
54) Keeseville Youth Commission
55) Historic Saranac Lake
56) Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum
57) Penfield Homestead Museum
58) Wilmington Historical Society
59) Mock Art (Diane Mock)
60) Assemblymember Billy Jones
61) Assemblymember Matt Simpson
62) Rigid Performance
63) AdkActionAdditional
Facts:-Over 7,000 views on Facebook alone of our PBS Segment on Saving the Bridges.
Update for April 2021
You can pick up signs in the following locations for free:
Town of Chesterfield Offices
Town of Ausable Offices
Loremans’ Embroidery, Engraving & Screenprinting
Peru Federal Credit Union (Keeseville Branch
)Arnold’s Grocery & Likker Lokker
Keeseville Free Library
Rigid Performance
Stewart’s Shops Keeseville-
Clinton County Approves Swing Bridge Inspection-
Clinton County Seeks Grant for Historic Structure Report on Old State Road Bridge-
Essex County Votes Yes to have DPW head look into options for Upper Bridge-WCAX/PBS story will be released soon-Yard Signs going up in Keeseville for the summer
Update for March 2021: Last Fall we met with Loreman’s to discuss making yard signs to put around town to save our bridges. We are working to get this done for Mid to late April. In November, we ran a PBS special that had thousands more views on social media than any other story. It had 7,000 views in 24 hours. (Other stories had about 120 views at the time).
In January at the first Essex County Supervisor’s meeting the bridges of Keeseville were brought up as something to be on the agenda for the year. We were asked to put things on hold until the covid numbers came down. Now that the numbers are settling, we are slowly ramping up our efforts again. I’ve been in constant contact with AARCH, our town supervisors and local Clinton County Representative any time Federal Infrastructure money was talked about. Recently with the stimulus package, $10 Billion of infrastructure money was passed to go to the states. Each county would get some funding.
Our town supervisors have supported this from day one, and this year we hope to make progress and get our bridges on the agenda to be restored. There is now grant money available, but we need the county grant writing teams to research which grants we are eligible for. There is federal infrastructure money available, but we need county support to get that funding for our bridges. The counties can also spend their own money to do this, or use DOT funding however it is a long process.The petition link is pinned on our Save Keeseville’s Historic Bridges Facebook page. Also coming in the next month or so, we will begin our letter writing campaign. We had originally scheduled this for January, but we were asked to move it to April.
I’ve also been talking with a company that CAN and IS willing to restore both of our closed bridges, improve their weight restrictions and bring them back to “like new” condition. All in all we have made tons of progress this winter.
A few notes to remember:
1) Our historic bridges are each one of a kind, and the Upper Bridge is the last one of it’s kind in the world. The Chasm bridge is a very rare design and was experimental during it’s time. The Old state Road Bridge is one of three remaining of it’s kind in the world. The location of our bridges are also very special to our community, and help make these bridges nationally significant.
2) We can not accept donations until the Counties give their full support.
3) Due to NYS regulations we can not turn our closed bridges into pedestrian bridges without a full restoration for vehicle traffic. This is because of liability concerns of heavy pedestrian traffic being heavier than a car.
4) Our bridges can’t become “flowered memorial bridges” with flowers being used for decorations. These bridges are wrought iron and the sun plays a big role in keeping the bridges dry and well maintained. If the sun is blocked a lot of damage will occur and eventually cause failure.
5) Our swing bridge was last inspected in by the state 2014. A college group came in 2018 and gave their opinions that work needs to be done within 5-10 years or that bridge would too close down. This includes very minor repairs and painting. The swing bridge has had “yellow flags” for years and they haven’t been addressed. Soon enough a red flag will come and it will be closed.
6) Bridge restoration companies have told me that yes the bridges need repairs, but nothing out of the ordinary needs to be done. Just metal work and foundation work. Even though the Chasm bridge looks to be in terrible shape, it too can be restored to like new condition.
7) Many historical bridges are being lost because engineers don’t have the skills for hot iron riveting. (A long forgotten type of engineering) However, there are companies available that do these types of work in the US.
8 ) We need support from our county officials. We need to stay positive. We need to stay focused. We can come together as a community and make this happen!
9) Reminder, Please do not go on the bridges! They haven’t been inspected in over ten years. There could be unknown issues and they are closed for a reason. Let’s get them fixed!
More info on Bridge Restorations: https://keesevillehistoricbridges.com/keeseville-ny-historic-bridges-bridge-restorations/
