Bridge Building 101

In this course, a.k.a., "Introduction to Bridge Construction", the student will be exposed to the joys and heartbreaks of creating a span over a pastoral woodland stream. Your instructors are dedicated engineers and laborers, having hands-on bridge building experience, mostly not catastrophic. The existing stream crossing along the Boehm Pond Trail was potentially hazardous, and the Shelton Trails Committee and several volunteers set out to create a safe crossing.

Click on photos to enlarge

Soon, hopefully, this will become a bridge

The work begins by leveling the 2x6s that will support the structure. While some worked on the bridge, hauling rocks to provide a firm base at each end, others cleared a trail leading to the crossing

The trail had to be clearly defined

"Looks good on this end!"

When it came time to fasten planks onto the main supports, it was discovered that we had screws, but the wrong screw bits! Bill, Eva, and Anthony search for anything adaptable. Jim just stares off into space

 

Fortunately good neighbor John ran home and was able to provide screws that matched our screw bits

Richard refused to get his feet wet, so much of the plank fastening had to be done from the sitting position

 

 Jim fastens the last planks

As the sole representative of his neighborhood present for the occasion, John is given the honor of being the first to cross the completed bridge. Ignore the safety hazard at the foot of the bridge

A safe crossing in a pleasing environment...a babbling brook

 While one group worked on the bridge, Terry and his gang of horse thieves were busy clearing and extending  the existing Boehm Pond Trail , following an old farm road to where it meets with Boehm Circle. (Due to privacy concerns, no photos of the thieves were available)

 Some portions of the old road are seasonally wet. Skirting these sections will be a job for a future work party, assuming the gang of horse thieves are released from prison and are available for honest, unpaid work

Bob shows Richard the trash he removed from the vicinity of our trail. The car is not part of the trash

Many thanks to those who helped...volunteers John and his son Brendan, Eva, Anthony, Mark, and Brandon, and Shelton Trails Committee members Bill, Terry, Sheri, Jim, Bob, and Richard