WOODSTOCK — Woodstock selectmen are mulling their options for replacing a posted culvert on the town’s Old County Road, a project that could cost between $150,000 and $200,000.
Known as the Bacon Bridge, the 14-foot culvert has been in place since 1956, according to Town Manager Vern Maxfield. It is rusting out on the bottom, and was recently posted by the Maine Department of Transportation. It’s used by heavy traffic such as logging trucks and school buses.
Maxfield said MDOT has recommended the culvert be replaced by a bridge, at an estimated cost of $150,000 to $200,000.
At last week’s selectmen’s meeting the town officials tried to think of another way around the problem at a lesser cost to the town – such as simply replacing the culvert. They worried, however, that if that does not meet the state’s standards the water crossing might still have to remain posted.
They decided to ask for estimates for potentially replacing it while researching the other details.
In other road-related business last week, the selectmen discussed the possibility of painting a crosswalk on Route 26 in Bryant Pond Village near the Post Office.
Selectman Ron Deegan said he has observed school children waiting for the bus in that area and crossing the street in different places there. “I hold my breath,” said Deegan, who is also the transportation supervisor for SAD 44. A crosswalk, he said, would at least consolidate the crossings to one location.
The town officials said painting a crosswalk might logically wait until an MDOT road improvement project on Route 26 in that area takes place in 2021. They considered if the town could do it on its own in the meantime.
Maxfield wondered if there might be liability issues for Woodstock in doing that, and it was decided he would check.
In other business the board discussed the work of the Franklin Grange Committee, which has been tasked with coming up with options for the old Grange building that was acquired by the town in April after the Grange shut down. Bob McQueeney, a member of the panel, attending the selectmen’s meeting and said he wasn’t sure if they would have options prepared in time for the March town meeting.
General options range from finding a use for the building to tearing it down to finding someone interested in salvaging parts of the structure in return for taking it down.
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