Slow progress

Progress on the Weston footbridge (maybe we should call it the Talbert footbridge) has slowed down. The process reminds me of my home improvement or repair projects. As I get going, I discover that there are problems that I did not anticipate and that I am not quite sure how to solve. So even simple things can take a long time.

In the picture below you can see the snow we had yesterday and also how the sections of the bridge are connected. There is a weld at the bottom that may not be visible.

The lifting of the main span to the piers has been delayed because someone decided that the entire structure would be less subject to warping if the floor boards were installed. So today the workers were putting on the flooring. The wood is the same wood used in truck trailer construction, and it is being firmly attached. I think it took them a while to figure out exactly what they wanted to do--building bridges is not something they do every day.

The color on the wood is from the chemicals that have been added to make it weather better. Once weathered, the wood will be gray. Also, they need to rip some of the planks to fill a small gap on the right, and the carpenter shop at SJC will do that. Putting up this bridge is a big job, but I think that people will really like it when it is in place.

The hospital shows slow progress. More fake windows have been put in place.

I could not figure out what this guy was doing, but it was probably a good job to have on a cold day.