That’s a question that was raised at the select board this week as the board continued its efforts to replace or shore up the failing Meadow Road Bridge over the Mad River north of Waitsfield Village.
The board, at its April 13 meeting, discussed the urgent need to replace Meadow Road Bridge, but also a proposal that could change the focus of the project from utilitarian to a community-driven landmark project.
Miles Jenness, of Vermont Heavy Timber, presented the board with the idea of replacing the bridge with a covered structure built through a teaching program. The concept would combine workforce training, traditional craftsmanship, and community involvement, while seeking grant funding through programs such as the Northern Border Regional Commission’s Timber for Transit initiative.
FOCAL POINT
The board discussed how such a project could potentially cost less than a conventional steel-and-concrete bridge if grant funding is secured. It would also reintroduce a historically accurate feature—Meadow Road once had a covered bridge—and create a visual focal point visible from Route 100, framed by The Valley and surrounding peaks.
The proposed design targets a load capacity of about 50,000 pounds, while the town’s heaviest fire tanker exceeds that threshold. Board members considered the importance of ensuring any final design meets emergency service needs, as well as accommodating agricultural vehicles with sufficient clearance.
Critical to the idea is public participation. The board discussed how a project of this scale would depend on strong community engagement, from letters of support to fundraising events. Plans are already taking shape for outreach efforts, including a potential gathering at American Flatbread where residents could contribute directly to the grant application process.
BUILT IN 1955
The single-lane bridge was built in 1955, replacing a 100-year old covered bridge that failed in 1954 when a logging truck fell through it, according to select board member Fred Messer. Prior to that covered bridge there had been a series of five smaller bridges that washed out during various floods.
Meadow Road bridge is currently posted at 8,000 pounds and is in bad shape. Years of deterioration have left the decking riddled with potholes and thinning asphalt, producing the unmistakable rhythmic thud—“boom, boom, boom”—as vehicles pass over it. Inspections conducted in recent years, including reviews involving VTrans, have suggested the structure may be beyond cost-effective rehabilitation.
2025 FLOODING
That decline accelerated dramatically after the flooding of 2025, when both Route 100 and Route 100B were closed. Meadow Road Bridge became the primary crossing, funneling far more traffic than it was ever designed to handle.
Town officials have been working with FEMA to determine whether the increased damage from detour traffic could be incorporated into existing flood-related funding. FEMA has indicated that if post-flood assessments clearly demonstrate additional damage attributable to that period, some of the repair or replacement costs could be covered. Engineers are now comparing earlier inspection reports with current conditions to make that case.
In the meantime, the town faces a practical challenge: getting through the coming months. Board members considered temporary fixes—patching, asphalt ribbons, or other stopgap measures—to keep the bridge passable through the summer, even while acknowledging these would not solve the underlying problem.
At the same time, Waitsfield is juggling the needs of another critical structure: the village covered bridge. Separate from Meadow Road, it is scheduled for a partial closure on May 6 for structural investigation. Crews plan to remove sections of decking to assess underlying rot and determine the scope of necessary repairs. The board discussed the urgency of completing those repairs quickly—ideally before the height of summer traffic and foliage season—while keeping pedestrian access open.
