County, town looking to replace two bridges over Styles Brook in Keene

KEENE | The town is working in conjunction with Essex County to replace two bridges over Styles Brook. SRA Engineers recently finished the topographical survey, hydraulic modeling, and geomorphic evaluation of the two bridges that have been out of commission since August 2024. "There was a ton of rain, and the beaver dams broke, causing a bunch of water to flash through this area," said Town of Keene Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson. "The storms have been so bad these last few years." Both bridges that need replacing — the town-owned Glen Bridge and the county-owned bridge built in 1996 on Morrison Road over Styles Brook — are within about a quarter-mile of each other, he clarified, so a collaboration between Keene and Essex County was an effective solution. "Essex County has a lot more resources and technical knowledge than we do," Wilson said. "Also, instead of hiring two different engineers to do two different studies, we're doing it all together, so we're actually saving money by collaborating." With the topographical survey, hydraulic modeling, and geomorphic evaluation now complete, the town and county can move on to the design and permitting process. The estimated total project cost won't be determined until all preliminary work is complete. But once it is, it should be funded at 75% by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and 12.5% by the state, leaving the remaining 12.5% the responsibility of the town and county. These two bridges were only a small part of the town's long-term road and culvert resiliency plan, which was developed last year to address sites vulnerable to intense storms that repeatedly cause problems. Besides the bridges over Styles Brook, other sites identified included Cemetery Road, Schaefer Road, O'Toole Road, Jackson Road, Johns Brook Road, Adrian's Acres Road, Lacy Road, and Ausable Road. Each site was categorized into one of three categories: projects the town can handle itself, financially and technically; larger projects that would require funding from the state or FEMA; and the most complex and expensive projects that would span multiple years. For instance, the project on Ausable Road would be placed into the third category. The culvert that drains both Icy Brook and Beede Brook is old and needs to be replaced. Due to its placement, how it crosses the road at a diagonal angle on a steep cliff, and since its outflow is in a big stone wall, it will require multiple grants to fund it and years to complete it. The replacement of these two bridges, however, falls under the second category. A timeline has yet to be determined, but what is known is that once both bridges are completed, Essex County will take over ownership of the town-owned Glen Bridge, as the new bridge being installed will be larger than the original, at least 20 feet in length. "Once it's rebuilt, it will definitely be bigger to help combat these big storms we've been having," Wilson said. "I just appreciate everyone's patience. Rebuilding bridges is a slow process and a huge inconvenience, but we're taking all the steps necessary to finally get this done." For more information or updates, visit townofkeeneny.com.

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County, town looking to replace two bridges over Styles Brook in Keene

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