new hampshire bridge spans swirling rapids
Amsnow
A New Hampshire snowmobiler and his club decided to build a bridge to connect snowmobiling communities. The new span was to connect both sides of the river, several snowmobile clubs, and most importantly to save lives.
"Everyone knew this ambition was impossible and now they have to see it to believe it," said David Murray, vice president of the Town Line Trail Dusters Club and project leader.
With "New Hampshire Hero's Recreational Crossing" the Town Line Trail Dusters Club was able to connect Mast Yard State Forest and Lehtinen Park. This in turn made it possible for clubs south of the river to travel north on State Corridor Trail No. 11.
"What a hoot this coming winter will be with the bridge, providing a safe crossing and an easy route toward the north trails," said Ray Cote, a Bow Pioneers member.
Before the bridge was completed mostly local snowmobilers used the area, but now snowmobilers from north of the Contoocook River hope to been seen in the southern cities and neighboring towns more often.
Murray worked with the City of Concord for permission to build the bridge as well as a $35,000 donation to the project.
The 250,000-lb. bridge, from a mine in Idaho cost $68,000 with an additional $25,000 to move it.
Local business owners, the N.H. Charitable Foundation, Groundworks Concord and N.H. Bureau of trails donated additional funds to pay for the purchase and reconstruction. In addition, local concreters, surveyors and contractors donated their time to finish the bridge.
Since the bridge has been built, the local club has also made improvements on the trails and purchased its first groomer to adjust for the possible increase in traffic.
"This May a woman came to thank me for doing this project. She explained [that] she fell through ice on a snowmobile 20 years ago and luckily survived but never rode a sled again. This past winter a friend convinced her to go for a ride to see the bridge [on his sled.] She is now snowmobiling again," Murray said.