OK, everyone complains when we lose these bridges. Here is a bridge with governmental agencies willing to support efforts to save a bridge yet no one has taken any real action. To all of those who complain about losing these great old bridges, here's your chance to actually do something and make a difference - now is the time! Get involved; make it happen or don't complain when its lost.
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/olentangy/news/2...
Sincerely,
Art S.
I drove past the old beauty just this past Sunday. There are several residential areas. Oh what some preservation could do there. A restored truss and a walking path, a no brainer!
Mr. Bauserman's legacy won't be complete unless he eradicates this one as well... pretty much a one-man wrecking crew.
Preservation Ohio has placed the Orange Road Bridge on its "2007 Ohio's Most Endangered Historic Sites" list. http://ohiosmostendangered.squarespace.com/welcome/
Delaware County Engineer Chris Bauserman closed the bridge until further notice on Aug. 29, 2007. With millions of sales tax dollars earmarked for road and bridge maintenance in Delaware County over the past decade, Mr. Bauserman has allowed the bridge to deteriorate and, since 2002, he has refused to apply for federal funds potentially available due to the bridge's National Register status. This is in spite of the fact that this bridge is located along a State Scenic Byway, over a State Scenic River, and is on the National Register for its state and local historic significance.
With the support of 5 local and 4 statewide organizations, Project SOUL (Save Our Unique Landmark) continues its efforts to preserve this bridge as recommended by the Liberty Township Comprehensive Land Use Plan: in its current location and use as a vehicular bridge.
If you want to help save this NR bridge, please email me the following message: "I/we believe the Liberty Township Comprehensive Land Use Plan should prevail with regard to the Orange Road Bridge Project in the Olentangy Heritage Corridor Scenic Byway."
Thank you.
Preservation Ohio has placed the Orange Road Bridge on its "2007 Ohio's Most Endangered Historic Sites" list: http://ohiosmostendangered.squarespace.com/west-orange-road-...
Delaware County Engineer Chris Bauserman closed the bridge until further notice on Aug. 29, 2007. In spite of the availability of millions in sales tax dollars earmarked for road and bridge maintenance in Delaware County, Mr. Bauserman has allowed the bridge to deteriorate through lack of maintenance and, since 2002, has refused to apply for federal dollars potentially available due to the bridge's National Register status. This is in spite of the fact that this bridge is on an Ohio Scenic Byway over an Ohio Scenic River and is listed on the National Register for both state and local significance.
With the support of 5 local and 4 statewide organizations, Project SOUL (Save Our Unique Landmark) continues its efforts to preserve this bridge as recommended by the 2006 Liberty Township Comprehensive Land Use Plan: in its current location and use as a vehicular bridge.
If you want to help save this bridge, send me the following email: "I (we) believe the Liberty Township Comprehensive Land Use Plan should prevail with regard to the Orange Road Bridge Project in the Olentangy Heritage Corridor Scenic Byway." Thank you.
It's just not that easy.
This bridge in Ohio has some potential but the amount of bridges available vs the amount of needs vs the cost is really the stopper. Just because the DOTs now have to market these bridges doesn't mean they have found a way for them to be affordable for the next step out of service, although there are some, like Ohio and Pennsylvania that are trying very hard. I've emailed Tony in Indiana because there might be some interesting happenings there with preservation by bypass 30 years later.
We know the cost to do business to save bridges. $50,000 of insurance to play. Requirements for certified and qualified contractors and engineers. It's a wonder we survived to actually preserve bridges from start to finish, most with plans for the end before we go in because it has to be sustainable.
It is trending up, and look forward to some great news about bridges coming out of the east coast in the next week or so. We are dedicated to the preservation of historic bridges.
Like our new logo? we have a web site update coming. and an interview with me that you can find at www.koolprojects.com. In the interview I credit BH and HB for helping us find the leads to projects that have all the players needed, or most of them. You can help us save bridges. Keep those articles coming.
Thanks very much, without this site, we would never be where we are today.