College to fund new town bridge $18 million project slated for 2011 construction

Author: Kelly Janis

In a campus-wide e-mail issued on Nov. 29, President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz announced the College's commitment to donate $18 million to the Town of Middlebury in the form of 30 annual $600,000 installments, beginning in early 2011. The money will allow the town to borrow the $9 million necessary for the construction of a bridge spanning Otter Creek from Cross Street to Main Street at its intersection with College Street.

"This gift is a response to a request from the town and it reflects the College's desire to be involved in a project that is integral to the safety of students, faculty, staff and area residents, and to the betterment of the town," Liebowitz wrote in the e-mail. "I am pleased that the College is able to support this important project."

Chair of the Middlebury Select Board John Tenny was thrilled to secure the contribution, which he described as "a gift without strings or reservations."

The concept of the bridge has been widely discussed since the 1950s, and was approved by Middlebury residents by a wide margin at the 2006 town meeting. Nonetheless, roadblocks to its construction continually existed.

"The big obstacle was there was not the possibility that you could support this project through local property taxes," Tenny said. Henceforth, the town turned its gaze to the College, with which it has a recent history of collaboration on undertakings such as the redevelopment of the lands behind Ilsley Library and the expansion of the industrial park, and which it has kept abreast of its plans pertaining to the prospective bridge for several years.

According to Liebowitz, the formal request for financial support was issued early last summer, during one of the President's monthly lunch meetings with the Middlebury Board of Selectmen. Although the Board of Trustees does not meet between May and October, members were made aware of the measure prior to the Oct. 6 meeting at which it was officially discussed and approved.

"[College administrators] took on that challenge and made it happen," Tenny said. "We are very pleased with them."

Liebowitz said that the partnership at hand differs from recent affiliations with the Town Hall Theater and former Eat Good Food space in that it is not intended to draw more students into town, but rather is based on an overarching strategy to work with the town on projects that are of mutual interest and benefit to both town and College. He described the ensuing connection between the two entities as one hinging on mutual support. "We benefit from a healthy town and the town benefits from a healthy College," Liebowitz said.

Officials predict that the bridge will be pivotal in assuaging traffic congestion, providing a detour in the event of necessary repairs to nearby bridges and railroad overpasses and relieving stress on the 115-year-old Battell Bridge across which an estimated 16,000 vehicles travel each day.

"By estimates of the engineers, we will have a more direct flow in and around town," Tenny said. He believes that this phenomenon will, in turn, render a positive impact on quality of life in general. "We think downtown will work better and downtown will [be] better as a result."

This ease of travel will be similarly beneficial on a College-specific scale. Speaking from the standpoint of safety, Liebowitz cited the Oct. 22 derailment of a freight train in downtown Middlebury as an illustration of the necessity of having greater access to the downtown area.

"With the fire station being on the other side of Otter Creek, we saw how important it is to have multiple access routes into and out of town," he said. "Emergency vehicles would certainly have a hard time reaching the College now if there was an emergency with only one bridge, and if that single bridge were to be disabled or become impassable."

The project will proceed once Middlebury residents negotiate the details of engineering, design, acquisition of the necessary property and bonding for additional funds at next year's town meeting. "We'd expect that construction would start in 2009 and take a little less than two years to complete," Tenny said.

Liebowitz expressed hope that the College community will share his enthusiasm toward the gesture. "I definitely see this in a positive light, and I hope it is met with approval," he said.

Immediately following the announcement, students were largely receptive of the plan.

"Two thumbs up," said Topher Wearn '08, explaining that such a bridge would cut five minutes off of his walk to work at the Mary Johnson Children's Center. "It's illogical not to have a bridge there."

"Well, regardless of whether you work at the Mary Johnson Children's Center, it makes sense," Paul Thibodeau '08 said.

"Paul only says that because he's dating a townie," Wearn said. "A bridge would shorten his walk across Route 7 to see her."

Nick Welch '08, on the other hand, approves of the construction on the basis of less personal considerations. As part of an architectural planning course this past J-Term, Welch and his classmates drafted a design for a bridge in the location in question, producing sketches and 3-D models of the surrounding area. The project solidified Welch's belief in the benefit of such a development, especially in spurring a more active social life and alleviating traffic. While he suspected that the sum of money being expended may compel some students to be weary of the College's involvement, Welch concurred with Liebowitz's optimistic perspective.

"I really think it will help the scene downtown a lot," he said.

Additional reporting by Anthony Adragna and Zamir Ahmed.