Sunset Lake Floating Bridge

A
Floating bridge on Sunset Lake in Brookfield, VT
Sunset Lake Floating Bridge
Sunset Lake Floating Bridge in 2008 (7th bridge)
Sunset Lake Floating Bridge in 2008
Coordinates44°02′33″N 72°36′17″W / 44.042525°N 72.604651°W / 44.042525; -72.604651
Carries1 lane of VT 65
CrossesSunset Lake
LocaleBrookfield, Vermont, United States
Characteristics
DesignPontoon bridge
Total length318 feet (97 m)[1]
Design life100 years[1]
History
Construction cost$2.4M[1]
Opened1820, ?, ?, 1884, ?, 1936, 1978, 2015
Replacesprevious bridge
Location
Map

The Sunset Lake Floating Bridge is a floating bridge that carries Vermont Route 65 across Sunset Lake in Brookfield, Vermont, United States.

History

The first bridge on this site was erected in 1820.[1] It was built this way because the lake is too deep for traditional pilings. According to the Watershed Management Division of Vermont, the lake's depth can reach 120 feet.[2]

The seventh bridge was closed to traffic and torn down in 2008 for replacement due to failure of its flotation system, which was based on foam-filled barrels.[1]

The current bridge, the eighth at this location,[3] is supported by fiber-reinforced polymer pontoons.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Garbitelli, Beth. "Vermont replaces state's only floating bridge". Burlington Free Press. Associated Press. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Depth Charts of Vermont Lakes and Ponds" (PDF). Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Whatershed Management Devision. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  3. ^ Rathke, Lisa. "Vermont Town's Famous Floating Bridge Reopens With Fanfare". ABC news. Associated Press. Retrieved 23 May 2015.