Hess Road Bridge To Close Temporarily

Take Responsibility! March 2, 2012 at 01:11 pm

In before all the local bridge experts tell us how the bridge is fine and doesn't need replacing...

Karl Schuub March 2, 2012 at 01:48 pm

Harford County engineers will always argue that a structure needs to be replaced, removed or fortified - it justifies their position with county government and gives them another project. If the abutements need to be replaced how's about fixing the abutements? The engineer who insisted the Winters Run bridge had to go was happy to report if he had his way he'd have put a round-a-about on the other side in that narrow spot between the hill and the water. These folks could care less about retaining open space - don't doubt me these bridge improvements are nothing more than the removal of any future arguments impeding further developement. It has to do with a tiny ordinance that says you can't put a school, developement, etc. on the other side a roadway where traffic has to stop for over X number of seconds. Two lane bridges and roundabouts basically do an end run around that ordinance that was designed to keep sprawl to a minimum unless infrastructure was in place to handle it.

Glen March 2, 2012 at 07:00 pm

Let them "fix" their side of it if that's their objective. Keep Baltimore County's side the way it is.

Karl Schuub March 2, 2012 at 07:45 pm

We need to band together when things like this arise. They rely on our malaise to virtually just do whatever they want to do. Can't there be any spaces that aren't about cars, places for cars, trails for cars, ease and convenience for cars. If people can't stop for a moment at a one lane bridge for just a moment we're a lot worse off than I thought. These engineers make up problems that don't exist. This county is supposedly 9.5 million in debt after the teacher's pensions are moved back to the county and we're talking about putting a million dollar bridge where nobody wants it with money we don't have.

DB March 4, 2012 at 05:13 pm

Watch out if there is any work or repairs to be done and Harford County is involved. They are notorious for under estimating the time needed for bridge repairs. Over the years I have seen then constantly under estimate the time needed for repairs on bridges, not just by days but by months, the little bridge on Hess Rd, Green Rd bridge and Watervale bridges are just some examples. Makes one thing they are paid by the hour not on salary or they are getting some type of kick back from the contractors. Any way if there is work to be done how about tying payment to completion time within the estimated time, every day over the contractor loses $1000 except maybe for proven acts of extreme weather. That will at least force some accurate estimates of time to repair unlike in the past.

John F. March 5, 2012 at 03:32 pm

This project is not about the structural integrity of the Hess Road bridge but creating yet another super highway from Bel Air to Hunt Valley. It will be found unsafe and they will begin efforts to expand the Hess Road bridge into two lanes. There are already alternative routes to the west and the bridge is just the first step to accomplishing the Baltimore and Harford counties' ultimate goal. What's next, a stop light at the intersection of Hess and Old York/Monkton Roads. These politicians and bureaucrats need to quit destroying our state's beautiful landscape and RURAL heritage!

Karl Schuub March 5, 2012 at 03:58 pm

John F...couldn't agree more, but as I said they wait for us to quit complaining and do whatever they want to do anyway. You can resist city hall, but you can't do it alone and you can't do it from the Patch. We already have a developement envelope, so what's wrong with saving a single lane bridge at the far end of the county. These engineers still want to claim there are delays and problems at the Winters Run Bridge....there aren't; I go across every single day and at rush hour. The wait is a minute at most and that's even if there is one.

John F. March 5, 2012 at 04:24 pm

@Karl, Luckily there are several folks in the Monkton, Jacksonville, Jarrettsville, White Hall, Phoenix, and Sparks communities banding together to wage this fight and they 'ain't' the patch/facebook brigade. It is an uphill battle but hopefully the lawyers and neighbors will be able to wield enough pressure to thwart the government's futile scheme.

Karl Schuub March 5, 2012 at 04:40 pm

I know it's tough to give out too much information here. I don't live in this area but was so repulsed by the way they abolutely rolled over everyone with the Winter's Run Bridge I'd be happy to chip in. Are any of these groups addressing the council and if so, when? I'll be there.