Update!  Zenas King Restoration Project underway!  Click below for photos of the project:  http://www.newfieldbusinessassoc.homestead.com/KingBridge~ns4.html

Allan King Sloan at the restored Newfield King  Bowstring Bridge

http://www.newfieldbusinessassoc.homestead.com/KingBridge.html

THE BEECH ROAD BRIDGE IN NEWFIELD, NEW YORK – IN DIFFICULTY

Unfortunately, the Beech Road Bridge in Newfield, near Ithaca, another bowstring built by the King Bridge Company in the 1870s, is not in the same happy situation as its sister structure in Chili Mills. This 60 foot bridge, distinguished because it is one of the rare bridges that had a King Bridge Company plaque with Zenas King’s name, (now in the Town Library), has been closed to traffic for some years, but is still used by children to get to school on the other side of the creek. Its ownership status has been in dispute for some years. It was the responsibility of the Tompkins County Highway Department while open to vehicles, but the County claims that it is a town responsibility now that it is not used for vehicular traffic. The bridge is in need of repair, the costs of which have been estimated by a local engineering firm at about $125,000, which the Town does not have. The County has offered to remove the bridge and replace it with some suitable pedestrian structure, but there are many in the local community who do not think this is a good solution.

As of May, 2002, the issues have not been resolved. The Town Board of Supervisors has agreed to table a decision to replace the bridge, after hearing both from local citizens and from the New York State Historic Preservation Office, which views the bridge as an important historical structure possibly eligible for landmark status. One of the owners of the property adjacent to the bridge has offered to put up $10,000 for its restoration and our family fund has offered at least $5,000 for the same purpose. Many think that the bridge could be fixed up for much less than the cost estimated by the engineering consultants. Hopefully, Tompkins County officials will be persuaded to lend their support to preserving this fine old bridge, rather than eliminating it. A group of local citizens’ including one of the members of the Town Board of Supervisors, is now working to this end. Stay tuned for the latest.