05 January 2011

Trestle to bridge

We tried for a walk today before the rains came.  It's pretty obvious from the photograph that our choice of location didn't work out very well.  That's Tal in a blue vest standing at a high chain link gate barring our way.


The Governor's Rail Trail, a one-mile round trip from downtown Edgefield to Slade Lake and back, is one of our favorite routes -- not strenuous, nicely conducive to conversation, birdwatching, photography.  The path takes walkers along an abandoned rail bed and over an old trestle crossing US25.  Unfortunately, the clearance from the roadway to the underside of the trestle is a mere 13-feet. 

The low clearance is well marked from both directions.  Truck traffic is required to use a bypass around town or an alternate route into town.  In the past year, however, there have been several calamitous, metal-peeling, life threatening encounters.  The trestle never budged.  The trailers were ruined.  The guard rails on either side of the road demolished.  Sadly, those injured were not in the offending trucks.

The walk way is closed this winter while the trestle is altered to provide more clearance.  I suppose technically it won't actually be a trestle any longer, trestles generally on grade.  When the rail trail reopens we will walk a gentle, but distinct arch over the highway.

I hope to be able to try out Edgefield's new pedestrian bridge soon.

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