MOUNT VERNON — The bowstring truss bridge near Bladensburg is one step closer to making its trip to Mount Vernon’s Foundation Park. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis said the historic bridge is being loaded on a trailer to prepare for the trip to Mount Vernon and that it is tentatively scheduled to move on Monday, Nov. 3.
“We’re just waiting on the permits to block the roads between here and Bladensburg,” Mavis said. “Our ability to move this without cutting it made it much more possible to get the project done. I feel very good about it. We’re preserving a historic structure.”
Dingey Movers Inc. from Zanesville will do the moving of the 14-foot-wide bridge. Ellis Brothers has provided the crane to lift the bridge out of its spot on Mill Road and onto the moving trailer.
Because the 1890s iron bridge and its trailer are 20-foot-wide, the roads will have to be shut down as the trailer proceeds north to Foundation Park. Mavis said the biggest concern is the 90-degree turn from Jug Run Road to Ohio 586. That turn is expected to take up to two hours to complete. From there, the bridge will travel 8 mph to Parrott Street, then to Columbus Road. From there it will turn onto Norton Street and head straight into Foundation Park.
“We’ll work with it over the next year getting it cleaned, replacing the rivets and some other parts and getting it painted,” Mavis said. “In the meantime, we’ll pour a concrete abutment so it’s ready to slide into place then. It will be part of the trail, only for pedestrians.
“This is a historically significant structure. I think moving it to Foundation Park will help preserve it.”
In other news, Mavis said he has spent a good portion of the week talking with residents and former residents about the legality of the Nativity scene on the square.
“I met with Geoff Oliver (of the parks department) and the display will be placed in its normal position on the northwest corner of the square. There’s electricity there and historically, it’s been the only thing there. That was the issue — it was isolated from other activities,” Mavis said. “We’ve talked about putting up some balled pine trees and then plant them in a park, especially Foundation Park. And we might buy some lighted strings. We’ll meet with the downtown association — I think anytime you change something like that you need more than the city’s opinion — since the square is part of downtown, and ask them to make comments on the display we create.”
Mavis also noted several construction projects were on schedule in the city. The curbing is in at Curtis Street, while the compaction tests have been completed at Blackjack Road. In the Curtis Street brick renovation project, Rietschlin Engineering of Crestline will be placing a concrete base down next, followed by sand and the bricks. They will also be creating sidewalks between Main and Mulberry streets. Mavis said they are hoping to have the base asphalt in next week in the Blackjack Road improvement project.
The mayor also reported the contractor has completed the replacement of the pebbleflex flooring in the zero-entry pool at Hiawatha Water Park. The original flooring had been flaking and breaking up in chunks. A new adhesive has been placed with the pebbleflex.
City Hall continues to be without heating and cooling as several pieces of the new ductwork had to be replaced. Mavis said they should have heat about two weeks from now.
City officials met with officials from Knox Community Hospital about the proposed access road between Coshocton Avenue and Yauger Road. The hospital’s board is expected to discuss the proposal at its meeting on Nov. 12.
