Project Location: Town of Stowe in Lamoille County on Nebraska Valley Road (Town Highway 43) over Miller Brook. The bridge is located approximately 1.6 miles northwest of the junction with Moscow Road (Town Highway 1).


The Stowe Bridge 48 project includes the replacement of the existing single span rolled beam bridge. The existing structure has a span of 43-feet and a width of 21.7-feet. The structure currently has a deck rating of  5 (Fair), a superstructure rating of 5 (Fair), and a substructure rating of 6 (Satisfactory). This bridge was constructed in 1925 and is 45-feet in length. While the deck and superstructure are rated as being in fair condition, they are deteriorating at an accelerated rate.

VTrans evaluated alternatives for rehabilitation or replacement of the bridge in an engineering study completed in February, 2020.  This study assessed the proposed design criteria for the structure, right-of-way, rare/threatened/endangered species impacts, hydraulics, and archaeological resource impacts. Several alternatives were considered, including: no action, deck replacement, superstructure replacement, and full bridge replacement. Nebraska Valley Road is a dead end road, and as such, the only maintenance of traffic options considered were phased construction or a temporary bridge.

Given the age of the structure, site constraints and current conditions, the engineering study recommended a full bridge replacement with traffic maintained on a one-lane alternating temporary bridge with a signal. The proposed typical section would include two 9-foot travel lanes with 3-foot shoulders matching the corridor, for a total width of 24-feet. This exceeds the minimum standard of 22-feet as set forth by the Vermont State Standards.


It is anticipated that the bridge will be constructed during the summer of 2023.