The longest pedestrian bridge in the trail system is scheduled for construction in the
fall of 2001. It will be built by the Washington Valley Trail Alliance, with possible help
from others. The Alliance is a group of adult mountain bikers. This will be the first
major project done by a group other than the scouts.
The bridge will clear span forty-four feet. It is made from a kit the Township purchased
from Wheeler Lumber of South Dakota for $8,902.06, including the $2,229.50 shipping cost.
The kit consists of the two beams, decking, handrails, and hardware. The
“glulam” beams are forty-six feet long and are 5” by 28 7/8”. The
abutments and ramp materials were purchased locally. The concrete blocks used for the
abutments are the same as those used on Pete Stickle’s big bridge. They are made by
Mensing Concrete of leftover materials and only cost less than twenty dollars each. They
eliminate the need to mix concrete on site or bucket concrete in from a truck, but must be
set by a backhoe.
Braided Stream. Where streams are separated into several channels that
divide and rejoin, they are said to be braided. They are often found where the stream is
steeper and has the power to move more soil.
There have been studies that resulted in equations that predict from such variables as the
streams slope, flow, and soil particle size if a stream will be braided, single channel,
or meandering. This information can be of use to engineers where rivers are being
"trained" or where people are trying to prevent erosion from damaging something.
With new developments it is usually best to keep construction away from the stream and let
the stream behave naturally. The Federal, State and Township governments have regulations
to restrict what and can be built in a flood hazard area. However, people have built on
the banks of rivers for as long they have built homes. Rivers provide water for drinking
and irrigation, and a transportation route, which are so attractive that people accept the
risk of flooding and erosion.
The streams slope in this area is 0.006 feet per foot, which means it drops one foot for
every 175 feet of channel. It is three times as steep as the meandering stream at Chris' Bridge.
Patrick Nametz – On the south side of the brook west of Alliance
Bridge are two twelve foot bridges built by Troop 150 (Basking Ridge) in November 2001.
These bridges are built of 6x6 timbers on wood abutments spiked into the ground with
rebars. To further resist the force of flood waters the 4x4 handrail posts were dug in
about thirty inches.
These bridges continue to extend Trail Segment #3 North toward the West to eventually
close a loop between Tom’s Bridge and John’s Bridge. It will take about five
more projects to close this loop, which we hope to complete in 2003.
