A connection between Vermont and New Hampshire is now open again Friday after being closed to traffic for more than a year. The Lyme- East Thetford Bridge has been undergoing renovations since 2023. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation and The Vermont Agency of Transportation handled the project. According to NHDOT the bridge, originally built in 1937, received work to the abutments, pier, portions of the floor system framing, concrete bridge deck, railing and steel curb. The bridge also received a new paint. The department also said that the bridge was paid for with state and federal money. Town officials were not able to confirm the exact cost. Thetford town manager Brian Story said it cost millions and added that the closure has a big impact on business. “Really had a huge effect on just the routine operations. We’ve got dentists, doctors, day care centers, grocery stores, restaurants. You know everything about business,” Story said. Locals say the commute before the bridge opened ranged from about 40 minutes to an hour to cross state lines. Now they say that time has gone down to about five to 10 minutes, and they are very excited about the reduced commute time. “The entire time I’ve been living in Thetford, this bridge has been closed. So, this is something I’ve been eagerly anticipating,” Kevin Donohue from Thetford said. Across the Connecticut River, Betsy McCann was grateful to finally see the bridge improvements. She has been living in Lyme for 42 years. “It’s giving me freedom because it’s been closed, so I feel very grateful for that,” she said. It opens me up socially, and it opens Vermonters up socially to come to New Hampshire. So, it’s just wonderful.”Tom Monego is another Thetford resident and lives right next to the bridge on the Vermont side. He said he’s grateful for the work put into it, but brought up his one and only concern for pedestrians and cyclists. “If they start letting large trucks go across it, it’s going to be very difficult to walk across it,” he said. Both towns said they want to thank the local residents for their cooperation and patience during the renovation project.
A connection between Vermont and New Hampshire is now open again Friday after being closed to traffic for more than a year.
The Lyme- East Thetford Bridge has been undergoing renovations since 2023. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation and The Vermont Agency of Transportation handled the project.
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According to NHDOT the bridge, originally built in 1937, received work to the abutments, pier, portions of the floor system framing, concrete bridge deck, railing and steel curb. The bridge also received a new paint.
The department also said that the bridge was paid for with state and federal money. Town officials were not able to confirm the exact cost. Thetford town manager Brian Story said it cost millions and added that the closure has a big impact on business.
“Really had a huge effect on just the routine operations. We’ve got dentists, doctors, day care centers, grocery stores, restaurants. You know everything about business,” Story said.
Locals say the commute before the bridge opened ranged from about 40 minutes to an hour to cross state lines. Now they say that time has gone down to about five to 10 minutes, and they are very excited about the reduced commute time.
“The entire time I’ve been living in Thetford, this bridge has been closed. So, this is something I’ve been eagerly anticipating,” Kevin Donohue from Thetford said.
Across the Connecticut River, Betsy McCann was grateful to finally see the bridge improvements. She has been living in Lyme for 42 years.
“It’s giving me freedom because it’s been closed, so I feel very grateful for that,” she said. It opens me up socially, and it opens Vermonters up socially to come to New Hampshire. So, it’s just wonderful.”
Tom Monego is another Thetford resident and lives right next to the bridge on the Vermont side. He said he’s grateful for the work put into it, but brought up his one and only concern for pedestrians and cyclists.
“If they start letting large trucks go across it, it’s going to be very difficult to walk across it,” he said.
Both towns said they want to thank the local residents for their cooperation and patience during the renovation project.
