Dear Editor:
The Wayland and Sudbury Departments of Public Works are undertaking what they call a “rehabilitation” of Sherman’s Bridge. The public notice, available on each town’s website, indicates that the bridge could be closed for three to five months. They are holding a joint “visioning workshop” to explain the plans to the public and to get input on the design.
This hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Fairbanks Center in Sudbury, according to a flyer that was placed on residents’ doors. Sundown on October 1 (6:28 p.m.) is the start of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most important holiday in the Jewish calendar. I called this to the attention of Wayland’s project leader, Paul Piccioli, at the DPW, and I believe the workshop/public hearing is being postponed for a week.
The proposal outlined on Sudbury DPW’s website suggests that the bridge will be “rehabilitated,” not reconstructed; that the road surface will be changed to asphalt on glulam panels; that “crash-test bridge railings and approach guardrails” will replace the existing railings; and that targeted substructure repairs will occur. The website describes the bridge as having been built in 1992. That’s a bit misleading; it was first constructed in 1743, big enough for a horse and rider to travel, and it has been widened several times over the centuries since then. There is also an explanation of why this “rehabilitation” will take as long as half a year, e.g., asphalt can only be poured in warmer months, and custom railings and glulam decking take months to fabricate.
Anyone interested in the fate, cost, historic quality or appearance of this 282-year-old bridge, which serves a vital role in connecting north Wayland with Sudbury, can attend the “visioning workshop” or visit the Wayland DPW page for information (look for Projects & Standards in the left-hand menu, then Sherman’s Bridge Construction.)
Susan Kodman
Sherman Bridge Road
