Welch: $7.6M earmarked to speed up Quechee Gorge Bridge project
U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, at center, speaks with state and local officials next to the Quechee Gorge Bridge on Friday. From left, with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, are Deputy Chief Engineer Erin Parizo, Project Manager JB McCarthy and Ann Gammell. To Welch’s right, are Senior Planner Kevin Geiger of the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Hartford Select Board Chair Dan Fraser and PJ Skehan, executive director of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
The historic Quechee Gorge Bridge on Route 4 — Vermont’s main east-west corridor — is ready for some important upgrades to improve its safety and sustainability. On Friday, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., arrived in Quechee to announce a $7.6 million federal allocation to speed up those fixes for the 110-year-old bridge, which is crucial for local tourism and business. The bridge, 168 feet above the gorge and the Ottauquechee River, offers stunning views that have attracted tourists for decades.
The new federal money would pay for most of the state’s proposed bridge project, and it’s earmarked in an infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. House. That’s the INVEST in America Act, a five-year, $715 billion surface transportation reauthorization and water infrastructure bill, and the Quechee bridge work is one of four Vermont projects Welch worked to include in the House proposal.
The next hurdle for this funding is the Senate, where lawmakers are considering a bipartisan infrastructure plan. Welch said he’s committed to including the crucial $7.6 million in any infrastructure bill that passes both chambers.
Speaking near the bridge on Friday, with heavy traffic coming and going, Welch said he knows the combative politics in Washington are frustrating to Vermonters. However, on the other hand, he said having this kind of money coming back to local communities helps make improvements that benefit everyone, regardless of any political leanings.
“When we have that kind of local action, the partisan politics dissolves,” Welch said. “We know this in Vermont, and that we’re all in this together.”
The main parts of the Quechee bridge project include installing a new safety fence (to replace the current temporary one), widening the bridge’s sidewalks from 3.5 to 6 feet, making important structural repairs underneath, and adding a new steel railing, according to the state. The most recent cost estimate, which is from 2020, puts the total price tag at $8 million to $10 million. Once all funding is confirmed, state officials hope to get the project out to bid in the fall, with the goal of having a contractor by year’s end.
Dan Fraser, chair of the Hartford Select Board, speaks while being recorded at a public gathering next to the Quechee Gorge Bridge. U.S. Rep. Peter Welch looks on at left. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Dan Fraser, chair of the Hartford Select Board, noted the importance of the bridge along Route 4, the state’s major east-west corridor, and its role in bringing tourism to Hartford’s five villages, one of which is Quechee. He also pointed out the key role of the federal government and thanked Welch for his work on the bill.
“The funding will not have to come directly from the residents here; it will come from the federal government, which is great because the project will happen sooner than it was expected to,” he said.
JB McCarthy, state project manager for the Quechee bridge work, said the project is crucial for maintaining the structure’s long-term viability and safety for all who use it.
“We’re calling this our ‘forever bridge,’” McCarthy said in an interview. “We’ve got to keep it in good shape.”
The Quechee bridge was built in 1911 as part of the old railroad, and became part of the local highway system in 1933. During Friday’s gathering, Ann Gammell, chief engineer for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, said these upgrades have been in the works for some time; they just lacked the money to carry them forward.
“This INVEST Act is just a great opportunity for Vermont to be able to invest in its structures,” Gammell said during her remarks.
The Quechee Gorge Bridge offers stunning views of the surrounding area, which several million visitors enjoy each year. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Also at the event, PJ Skehan, executive director of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce, called this summer the busiest he’s seen in 10 years — further underscoring the role of this bridge in the community’s life, notably its business and tourism.
“This project will make the bridge a much safer place to view the gorge from, and with the extended sidewalks, make the whole visitation experience a lot safer for pedestrians and motorists alike,” Skehan said.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration between local, state and federal entities, which has been critical to sustaining the area’s many local attractions and recreation opportunities.
“None of this progress would be possible without the continued commitment from the Army Corps of Engineers, Vermont State Parks, the town of Hartford, the Vermont Agency of Transportation, Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission (TRORC), and of course, the Chamber of Commerce,” Skehan said.
Kevin Geiger, senior planner with TRORC, spoke about other parts of the INVEST Act as well, including funding for water and sewer infrastructure.
“We’re going to need lots of water and sewer to make our villages better places to live, for our housing needs, you name it — it all fits together,” Geiger said, speaking to Welch. “And again, it’s great to do it alone, we’re all independent people as you know, but we can’t do this level of stuff alone.”
Speaking after Friday’s event, Welch said it always inspires him to visit local communities working together on these kinds of projects. He said many lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats — are focused on these key local issues back home that impact everyone.
“When we get focused on solving concrete problems that affect all of us, it’s a way to be united,” Welch said.
— Gareth Henderson
