Una-Lam begins covered bridge replacement
Unadilla, NY (May 19, 2009) – Unadilla Laminated Products (Una-Lam) of Unadilla and Sidney, NY recently began manufacturing replacement material for the covered Groton Street Bridge in Pepperell, MA. According to Pepperell’s local historian, there has been a covered bridge at the Groton Street crossing since 1845. An earlier bridge here featured prominently in Revolutionary War history when, in 1775, Prudence Wright and several other farm-tool-wielding women successfully intercepted Tory spies on the site.
The new roadway bridge spans ninety-four feet over the Nashua River. Its forty-seven foot width allows for a twenty-four foot truck-rated roadway with pedestrian sidewalks on either side. “The Massachusetts Highway Department chose Una-Lam for this job because of our extensive experience building bridges out of glue laminated timber (glulam) that not only meet strict structural requirements but capture the aesthetic beauty of the historic bridge being replaced,” says Phillip Holowacz, Una-Lam Vice President Sales.
This project is unique because Una-Lam must assemble the entire bridge at their Sidney, NY manufacturing plant so that the highway department can be sure everything will fit together perfectly once the material reaches the jobsite. “This is no small task,” continues Holowacz. “With almost 1,800 pieces of glulam, 700 pieces of solid timber, and 42,000 pieces of steel hardware going into the bridge, on-site assembly will take over a month. We expect everything to run smoothly, though, because we have an excellent team of employees and we have been planning this for more than a year.” To be sure that the bridge material is manufactured to their strict specifications, the Massachusetts Highway Department has hired an independent inspector to observe the entire manufacturing process.
This is the most recent bridge project for the company, which has manufactured and replaced material on many roadway bridges during its history, including the Downsville, NY covered bridge that was replaced in 1998. For that project, Una-Lam manufactured a record setting one hundred and seventy-four foot beam for the bridge’s bottom chord spanning the East Branch of the Delaware River. Una-Lam has also manufactured glulam material for numerous other award-winning bridges. “We are proud to have worked on a number of diverse bridge projects over the years and that we were chosen for this latest one because of our commitment to quality and ability to complete complex projects on time and on budget,” remarks Holowacz.
Una-Lam will add photo and video updates of bridge assembly at its Sidney, NY plant to its website, www.unalam.com, regularly. For more information on the Groton Street Bridge project, contact Zoë O. van der Meulen, Director of Communication at 607-369-8508 or [email protected].
About Unadilla Laminated Products – Unadilla Laminated Products is a division of Unadilla Silo Company, Inc. Now in business for over 100 years, the Unadilla Silo Company is a wood products manufacturer focusing on glue laminated beams and arches for use in construction. The Unadilla Laminated Products division specializes in a wide range of complex custom engineered products. For more information about Una-Lam’s products and services call 607-369-9341, visit us at www.unalam.com, or follow us on twitter at twitter.com/unalam.