Introductions: Rebekah Dobrasko, Historic Preservation Specialist at the Texas Department of Transportation. Rebekah is the project manager for the statewide truss bridge management planning program. [email protected] Linda Henderson, Historian with the Texas Historical Commission. Linda is the THC’s liaison with TxDOT for above-ground historic properties. [email protected]
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We are excited to be here with you today. First of all, we have you all muted. If you have a question, type it in to the “Chat” box, and we will answer your questions at the end of the presentation. Please bear with us, as we are still new to the webinar process, so I hope that everything continues to work okay. We are recording this presentation so that you will be able to share it with others and revisit the presentation. Today is a continuation of our truss management planning process. As many of you know, Texas is quickly losing many of its truss bridges, due to changing traffic needs and the deteriorated condition of many of the bridges. However, some truss bridges have found new life in a variety of places. To have a successful project in reusing a road truss bridge off the highway system requires strong partnerships and dedication to the project. That is what we will be discussing today. This agenda is a quick overview of what we will cover during our time with you. First, we are going to cover three partners who can be useful for you in planning bridge projects. Then, I will talk about TxDOT’s revised Historic Bridge Legacy Program, and what that means for you. Then, both Linda and I will cover six different bridge projects with various outcomes and lessons learned. Finally, the webinar will conclude with potential funding sources and an opportunity to ask questions.
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TxDOT is partnering with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and the Historic Bridge Foundation to develop a truss bridge management plan for those bridges left in vehicular service in Texas. However, each of the partners in this project provide something different regarding truss bridges: TxDOT is a transportation agency. Our agency is concerned about truss bridges and their safety and functionality on the road system. TxDOT does not own all the bridges in the state, although we do inspect all the bridges in the state. TxDOT only owns about 30 trusses. The rest of the truss bridges are owned by cities and counties that are responsible for maintenance and repairs on their bridges. TxDOT also administers funding from the Federal Highway Administration. Each year, we receive millions of dollars to spend on the repair and replacement of our bridges, both the ones that TxDOT owns and the ones that we don’t. Sometimes, we find that we need to do a project on a historic bridge. At that time, many historic preservation rules and regulations come in to play. If TxDOT engineers feel that the replacement of a historic bridge is the best solution for a crossing, that is when TxDOT begins to look for new uses for old bridges. We reach out to our partners, including the THC, the Historic Bridge Foundation, and local communities to help us determine if there are solutions out there for these historic bridges. The THC is the state’s agency for historic preservation. We have more than 30 programs. You are probably familiar with at least a few! They include our County Historical Commission Outreach program, historical markers, Main Street, Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, heritage tourism, and so many more. Our relationship with TxDOT is primarily because of our role in reviewing projects that involve federal funds and state Right of Way for road projects. Over the years, we have developed a partnership that enables us to bring you programs such as
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this webinar. It also means we can work together with a statewide perspective to study ways to support communities around the state in protecting their historic resources. The Historic Bridge Foundation is an advocacy organization. They are based in Texas but do work all over the United States. She could not join us today, but Kitty Henderson is the Bridge Foundation’s executive director. The THC and TxDOT work closely with the Bridge Foundation on statewide historic bridge topics, as well as on specific projects. As a non-profit, the Bridge Foundation has a different role in conversations about historic bridges. With a national perspective, they can provide your community with insight that THC and TxDOT do not have. Their website has many resources including a “How to Save A Bridge” feature. Visit http://historicbridgefoundation.com/ for more information.
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The three partners work together to find new uses for old bridge. As part of this partnership, TxDOT recently revamped its digital presence for those partners looking to reuse historic bridges. We’ve formally named this process the Historic Bridge Legacy Program. Informally, we may refer to this as our “adopt a bridge” program, but we wanted to highlight the distinction between our popular Adopt a Highway program and this one. Later in this presentation, I will give you the web address for this page. I want to highlight a few things that you may find useful here:
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We have new documents available on this page. I will go over the Process of Moving a Bridge and the Sample Costs documents later in the presentation. We also have some answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the program.
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We have Success Stories. We plan to add more here, and you will see 6 success stories today, including the one on the Labatt Bridge.
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And we have a checklist to help walk you through information you will need to consider when thinking about doing a historic bridge project. Now, before we get into the details of how the projects work, we thought we would show you six cases where TxDOT partnered with communities to reuse old bridges that were no longer able to carry vehicular traffic.
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Our first example is the Goodman Bridge. This truss bridge originally crossed the Angelina River between Nacogdoches and Cherokee Counties. The bridge was no longer able to carry the heavy traffic that needed to cross it. The bridge is owned by Nacogdoches County, which entered into an agreement with TxDOT to upgrade the crossing across the Angelina River. At first, Nacogdoches County wanted to demolish the bridge, and was not interested in finding a new use for the bridge. However, local interest in preserving the bridge (it was the last truss bridge in the county) and the advocacy of Historic Bridge Foundation caused the county to change its mind. TxDOT paid to move Goodman Bridge to Pecan Park in Nacogdoches in 2012. TxDOT funded some metal repairs on the bridge as well as cleaning and painting the bridge. Due to increased costs of the abatement of lead paint, TxDOT no longer is able to clean and paint bridges prior to moving them to a new location. This is one cost the new owner will need to bear for the bridge. The County will continue to own Goodman Bridge and is responsible for its maintenance. The City owns and maintains the park, and is responsible for mowing around the bridge and keeping up the park. The County uses local donations and volunteers to continue maintenance on the bridge.
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The 1913 Oak Forest Bridge used to cross the Guadalupe River on County Road 143 in Gonzales County. Today, it is in Kerr Creek Park, part of the City of Gonzales’s parks system. Residents, especially those using the local disc golf course, frequent the bridge. This bridge was relocated and rehabilitated with Transportation Enhancement funds from the Federal Highway Administration. This funding source is now known as the Transportation Alternatives program. Although still an eligible cost under the Federal Highway guidelines, bridge preservation projects were taken off the list of funding types by the Texas Transportation Commission in Texas. If these grants should be available in the future—especially as part of the hike-and-bike systems that are a primary funding priority for the Texas Transportation Alternatives program, there could be more money available for bridge projects in the state. Perhaps because of the additional funding toward the bridge’s rehabilitation, but in large part due to the City of Gonzales’s planning and maintenance of the bridge, the old Oak Forest Bridge will serve the city parks system for years to come. The city has come to the THC with questions about work on the bridge, including the addition of benches. The THC has had no concerns about anything proposed. Find out more about Kerr Creek Park in Gonzales here: http://www.gonzales.texas.gov/p/departments/parks-and-recreation/315.
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In 2007, TxDOT worked with the City of Floresville to move three truss bridges onto the city’s Old Lodi Hike and Bike Trail. The truss bridges were located on Labatt Road crossing the San Antonio River. The Floresville Economic Development Corporation was assisting the city in developing a trail to ultimately link with the El Camino Real trail, which is a National Park Service-administered National Trail. The EDC determined that it would be feasible to move the three trusses to a crossing for the Old Lodi Hike and Bike trail. It raised money through a Recreational Trails grant administered by Texas Parks and Wildlife, funds through Wilson County, and funds from TxDOT to move the bridge. While the bridge reuse is successful, the trail isn’t well used. Conversations with city staff indicate that the aggregate used on the trail (the gravel used to pave the trail) is too large. This means an unsteady and unsafe surface for bike users. In addition, the city has not maintained the trail, and weeds and grass grow in the trail. However, Floresville is dedicated to maintaining the trail and plans to add maintenance funds back in to its budget and investigate grants to re-pave the trail in an appropriate manner.
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Comanche County has taken a different approach to reusing historic bridges. They currently have four that have been relocated to museum grounds. The bridge placement is not ideal in terms of preservation standards—they have not yet been restored and are not over bodies of water, but they are being saved. The group is actively working toward a bridge walking park that will let people see these historic engineering pieces up close and understand how they were constructed. Part of preservation is passing that understanding on to future generations, and Comanche County’s efforts will help ensure that engineering history is saved. The bridges currently in place include the former County Road 384 at Resley Creek, County Road 165 at Indian Creek, and County Road 435 at Sabana River. Since moving the bridges, the county has only had to perform minimal maintenance and repairs, including straightening bent members, setting the trusses plumb, and replacing and tightening loose connection bolts.
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Another option for truss bridges, especially if the new owner anticipates reusing a bridge but does not have the trail or park ready at the time of the bridge project, is to store the bridge for future use. Hamilton County is one county that takes this option. The photograph on this slide shows three truss bridges in Pecan Creek Park. One of the trusses, the larger arched bridge that looks like a rainbow, is installed in Pecan Creek Park in Hamilton. The other two have been moved to county maintenance yards. There are benefits and drawbacks to storing truss bridges for future use. Storage of bridges allows for additional project planning time or fundraising time. TxDOT is willing to move bridges to a storage yard owned by the city or county, but TxDOT will not store bridges for the city or county. Once TxDOT moves a bridge to a storage place, TxDOT’s responsibilities cease. Then, it is the responsibility of the new owner to pay to move the bridge to a new location, pay to prepare that new location, and pay to rehabilitate the bridge as appropriate. Storage of a bridge can cause project costs to rise because of the extra move necessary.
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If you have driven into downtown Bastrop, you probably have seen the historic truss bridge in its original location over the Colorado River. Did you know, though, about the local SOBS whose organization is devoted to the bridge? These folks are the International Society of Bridge Spitters (SOBS). They started in 1961 after Opie and his cousin on the Andy Griffith Show planned to spit off a bridge in the fictional town of Mayberry. The SOBS—and others in the community—celebrate the bridge and make it a part of their community’s uniqueness. Situated near downtown and parks, the bridge is also used regularly by pedestrians and cyclists. Upkeep is an ongoing need in the city’s budget, but the bridge remains a landmark in Bastrop. It was bypassed by a new bridge in 1993 but remains connected to other parts of town by a sidewalk system.
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Now that you know the possibilities, it is time to recognize the work that goes in to making these projects successful. Keep in mind that truss bridges (or other historic bridges) are for reuse only after determination by TxDOT engineers. We prefer to keep these bridges continuing to serve vehicular traffic, but recognize that doesn’t always work. At that time, we will initiate efforts to find new owners or new uses for historic bridges. As you can see on this slide, there are many working parts to a bridge project. TxDOT has a construction schedule that it must meet, so any new location for a bridge must be prepared and ready by the time TxDOT and our contractor need to move the bridge out of the project location. Bridge rehabilitation work can take place at the new site. Typically, TxDOT will stabilize a bridge (if necessary) before lifting it and moving it. Bridges are placed on flatbed trucks and driven to the site. County or city police departments are often needed to provide traffic control for the bridge move.
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Accepting a historic bridge requires the submission of a reuse plan. FHWA requires TxDOT to find a responsible owner for a historic bridge. A responsible owner is one that is able to accept liability and financial responsibility of a bridge. Responsible owners also commit to rehabilitating the bridge according to recognized preservation standards and continuing to maintain the bridge. New owners must also agree to consult with the Texas Historical Commission about any future proposed changes or planned demolition of the bridge. Bridges are not allowed to be used for vehicular use, i.e. open to traffic. If golf carts or maintenance vehicles are driven on the bridge, occasional use is okay, but new owners must agree that a bridge cannot be used on another road. TxDOT recommends that all projects have a structural engineer to oversee the proposed rehabilitation of the bridge. TxDOT does not engineer projects for these types of uses.
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Now, to get into the heart of planning a bridge project—costs and funding. This slide shows key costs that are likely needed for any truss bridge moved and rehabilitated in a new location. DEPENDING ON THE CONDITION OF THE BRIDGE, more work may be necessary. Keep in mind that the costs on this page are sample costs only. 1. As I mentioned before, a structural engineer should be involved in the project. This
can be an engineer that the city or county already has on staff, or it can be a hired consultant specific to the project.
2. When moving a bridge, it will need to be placed on new abutments, which are the foundations of the bridge. Having these abutments in place prior to the bridge move is helpful, as then the bridge movers can set the bridge directly on to the new abutments. These can be constructed by city or county staff, or under a contractor hired for the project.
3. Often, the truss bridge will have some damage to it—either damage from cars and trucks hitting the bridge, some rust or corrosion, or missing bolts. This damage will need repairing.
4. The bridge’s deck (what is the driving or walking surface) is always removed prior to transportation. A new deck on the bridge is always needed for a new use.
5. If the bridge will have pedestrians on it, it is likely to need a pedestrian rail that meets safety code.
6. Many of these old bridges were painted with lead-based paint. The paint will need to be removed or encapsulated, if traces remain. TxDOT will test the bridge for the
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presence of lead paint prior to transferring ownership of a bridge.
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As I mentioned earlier, TxDOT’s participation in historic bridge projects is geared toward making these bridges safe for vehicular traffic. Therefore, there is little money involved that TxDOT can spend on a bridge that will not be used for vehicles. So, I want to be very clear about this. TxDOT can contribute a small amount of money toward a new use for a historic bridge. The amount of money that we contribute is the amount of money that we estimate we would spend on demolishing the historic bridge. So, instead of paying to demolish the bridge, we can pay to move it, and if there are funds left over, we can pay to repair some of the damaged truss members. Once that money is spent, then TxDOT cannot contribute any additional funds. It is the responsibility of the new owner to fund any rehabilitation work. The good news is that can be done in a variety of ways. We highlighted some of the ways in earlier examples, such as using local donations, volunteer or force account work (where the employees of a city or county do the work as part of their job duties), applying for grants from granting agencies such as the Recreational Trail grants or Transportation Alternative Grants. And, there are other places to look. Linda will talk about some additional funding opportunities.
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This final column is not so much about costs but about funding options, many of which would involve matching funds from your community. Successful preservation projects typically are completed in phases. Planning is an important first step, not just in terms of project specifics but also in terms of funding. With careful planning, a group could identify pools of grants for various types of work that can all dovetail into one comprehensive project. We will talk extensively about the Texas Historical Commission’s funds in the next few slides, but before we get to those, we’ll give you an overview of some other sources of grant money. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has funding, some of which has been reserved in the past just for Texas projects. The Trust’s grants are not big, but they can be used for planning documents and other early stages in a larger preservation project. For more information, visit http://forum.savingplaces.org/build/find-funding/grant-seekers. They also have a webinar on seeking grants for preservation projects. Local trail foundations and park development organizations in your area may offer assistance. Through Texas Parks and Wildlife, you can find money for parks and recreational areas. Local Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Councils of Government will also have funding available for local projects, from trails and sidewalks to park improvements. If you decide to relocate a bridge to a park, with careful planning, you could use funds from these types of sources for site improvements in
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preparation for—or in conjunction with—the bridge project. This is one reason the Texas Historical Commission and the Historic Bridge Foundation have encouraged communities to store bridges—so they can phase the work of relocating the bridge. But we can talk more about that later. One more note about funding for bridges. A number of the bigger bridge rehabilitation projects over the years, including some of the ones featured in this webinar, were funding through Federal Highway Administration’s enhancement monies. Again, this funding, now known as the Transportation Alternatives program, is not currently open to bridge rehabilitation projects. Each of the funding programs mentioned in this presentation has restrictions, so plan on reading the grant application materials closely to ensure you can use the funds on a bridge project.
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The THC’s primary source for funding preservation work is the Texas Preservation Trust Fund, or TPTF. A new application period just opened on December 1, and it runs through the end of January. This period is for potential applicants to work with THC staff on whether their proposed project is a viable candidate. TPTF can fund four types of projects: Development, Acquisition, Planning, and Heritage Education. Bridge projects would fall primarily into just two categories. Development projects are those that are actual construction work on a historic property, such as the rehabilitation of a historic bridge. Planning is for hiring engineers, architects, or others to help study what needs to happen at a historic site or on a historic property. For bridge projects, it’s likely that a good Planning project would lead to a stronger Development project down the road, but this is where a strong vision ahead of time will help. By seeking planning grants from the National Trust, for example, ahead of a bridge needing to be replaced, a community could be prepared to seek a Development grant from the THC’s TPTF for the physical rehabilitation of it. Getting grants for park and trail improvements ahead of time could also help. Knowing, then, about future bridge replacement projects in your region could help you plan for these types of projects overall. This takes some effort in getting to know how your local government officials—both city and county—make decisions related to roads, bridges, and parks. You should also learn about how TxDOT works and keep an eye on their project tracker, although most of the bridges that are good candidates for relocation are locally owned properties.
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Back to TPTF. It is highly competitive. As the primary funding source for Texas preservation projects, any grant applicant will be up against all the other types of project out there, including historic schools and community centers, train depots, and important buildings around the state. Recent awards went to Terrell’s Carnegie Library, on the left, for a new roof, to the West Sixth Street Bridge in Austin, in the middle, for an engineering assessment and plan for the bridge, and architectural and engineering drawings for Union Missionary Baptist Church in Marion County on the right. While these grants are bigger than the National Trust awards, they are typically in the $10,000 to $30,000 range and do require a 50% match. For a bridge project to be a viable candidate, there should be a clear plan that demonstrates community support and understanding of what it will take to oversee such a project. This is one reason THC has this initial application period, so that staff can determine if applicants are serious about what they hope to accomplish.
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Potential applicants should talk to their THC regional reviewer as quickly as possible, using the links on this slide to find out more.
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One of the most frequent questions we get is about what it means that THC will need to be consulted on your bridge in the future. Whether you have a relocated bridge as a result of a TxDOT project, or if you receive money from THC for a bridge that has already been moved, you will have some kind of an agreement that talks about coming to THC for review of work. This is because THC is charged with state and federal roles in reviewing projects under various laws. If you receive money for a historic property from THC, you are likely to have an easement on that property for a period of time, and THC must ensure that the public dollars that went toward the property were a good investment. Similarly, if TxDOT uses federal money—or if other public funds are used—THC must also make sure future work doesn’t undermine that expenditure of public money. To that end, THC uses the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation as guidance for what is or is not appropriate work on a historic property. These Standards were written with buildings in mind, but we have—over many years—worked with TxDOT and others on understanding how to apply them to historic bridges. In essence, THC wants to make sure that no one in the future makes decisions that damage the bridge’s historic or engineering integrity. THC will work with you to find good solutions to preserve your community’s investment in the bridge. If you choose to relocate a bridge, or even if you are just considering it, you can contact THC and we can help you and your local officials understand what that will mean, but it’s pretty straightforward. If, for example, you decide you need a new deck or railing in the future, during the terms of our agreement—or even beyond that if you just want advice, we will talk about what types of materials and fasteners are good choices so you don’t cause damage. We are not concerned about what color your community wants to paint it. We also don’t mind if you want to string lights on it, but we would advise you toward ways of attaching the lights so you don’t cause damage. It’s all about making good decisions about the long-term health of your investment in the property!
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These bridges are disappearing resources on our road system, and we need to work together toward preserving the state’s engineering history.
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