Powder Point Bridge Faces Rapid Deterioration as Duxbury Weighs Costly Repairs Against Replacement Options
DUXBURY - October 20 - The iconic Powder Point Bridge is deteriorating at an accelerating pace, with engineers warning that temporary repairs costing up to $700,000 annually may be necessary to keep the 110-span wooden structure open while the town decides between a state-sponsored replacement and alternative restoration approaches championed by residents.
The Full Story
Engineering firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger presented a sobering assessment of the 1986 bridge’s condition to the Selectboard, revealing that marine borers, bacterial deterioration, and freeze-thaw cycles have compromised hundreds of wooden piles. Of the bridge’s 555 piles, MassDOT’s May 2025 inspection identified 175 in “stage three” condition (moderate damage), 37 classified as “stage four” (severe damage requiring repair), and six rated “4+” (requiring immediate repair). Charles Barnes, the project engineer, warned that 10 to 15 piles deteriorate from one category to the next each year, with recent inspections showing an alarming spike.
“If two piles next to each other are both in horrible shape, they could say, there’s no pile that you can drive over that’s safe. You need to close the bridge down until that’s repaired, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid,” Barnes explained, noting MassDOT has authority to force lane or complete bridge closures if safety concerns escalate.
The town has been conducting emergency repairs since 2019, spending approximately $25,000-$30,000 per pile to install sister piles or steel replacements. These repairs, designed to last 5-10 years, have kept pace with deterioration so far, but the backlog is growing. Barnes showed color-coded diagrams revealing extensive yellow-marked “stage three” piles across the bridge that could become critical failures after a severe winter.
The presentation sparked intense community engagement. Christine Hill, representing Save Our Bridge, announced the group has collected 5,800 petition signatures—including 3,800 from Duxbury residents—and requested a pause on the state’s replacement project to examine restoration alternatives. “We would like a pause on the bridge project so that we can examine all the alternatives. We didn’t have a chance to do that,” Hill told the board. Peter Randall, a 12th-generation Duxbury resident and descendant of Miles Standish, added, “When we get into discussions, when we start digging, and believe me, we have dug... we’re asking for a pause.”
The community group has consulted with Dr. Dan Tingley, a timber bridge specialist, who they say has offered to repair the bridge for approximately one-tenth the cost of the state’s steel-and-concrete replacement. Alicia Babcock recorded an hour-long video consultation with Tingley and urged Selectboard members to watch it before MassDOT’s public meeting scheduled for October 21st at Duxbury High School. “He said, fix the bridge. The bridge isn’t broken,” Babcock reported. “He said for a tenth of what the state is quoting to build this new steel and concrete bridge... you can fix what needs to be fixed so that it can go another hundred years.”
However, Paul Schuman, principal engineer at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, pushed back on claims that timber restoration offers a permanent solution. “We don’t think that a solution is to cut the bad wood out and replace it with good wood. You’re just postponing the problem,” he stated. He noted that while the original tropical hardwood piles were expected to last 75 years when installed in 1986, the deterioration has far exceeded predictions. “You can have two piles that look similar, and one of them is going to deteriorate in 20, 30 years, the other one’s going to look okay in 50 years,” Schuman explained.
The engineering team emphasized the urgency of continued repairs regardless of long-term decisions. “If we were to just stop these periodic repairs and say it’s piecemeal, it’s a waste of money, we’re not going to do it, at most you’d have one year before I think the bridge would be closed,” Barnes warned. He added that once closed to pedestrians, the town would be legally required to demolish the bridge as a navigation hazard, at significant cost.
Pete Dalton, speaking as both a resident and Shellfish Advisory Board member, noted that marine infrastructure firms across the country are interested in restoration work. “There are firms that are jumping on this scenario, very good firms, because of what is going on throughout the country. They’re just not ripping everything down and building new ones. They’re actually doing restoration work on existing structures,” Dalton said, citing examples from Florida’s Keys where old bridges are often replaced adjacent to existing structures rather than through complete removal.
DPW Director Sheila Sgarzi indicated the town has budgeted $500,000 for FY27 repairs, though recent discussions suggest the amount may need to increase to $700,000 to address the growing number of failing piles. The town spent $300,000 on repairs in the current fiscal year.
Selectboard member Fernando Guitart attempted to clarify the situation: “What our engineers are trying to do that we’ve hired, all they’re trying to do is keep the bridge open for one year by doing a repair to address the really bad ones. That’s all they’re doing... So if you want to do something different, right, that’s the conversation we need to get into with Mr. Tingley or the DOT to do something different.”
Board member Amy MacNab expressed frustration with the piecemeal approach: “This whole approach seems very pennywise and pound foolish to me... This is huge money for a little gain. It seems to me that we need to look bigger picture.” However, she acknowledged the dilemma: “I still think that it’s important to explore funding opportunities... I also think that it’s very important to get the input of the Conservation Commission on this where we’re considering a wetland in town to be filled.”
MassDOT is scheduled to hold a public meeting and listening session on October 21st from 6-8 p.m. at Duxbury High School cafeteria to present updates on the replacement project design and gather community input. The meeting will include group discussions where residents can share feedback that will be “reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible,” according to Guitart.
Questions arose during the meeting about MassDOT’s jurisdiction over what is technically a town bridge. While town officials could not provide a definitive answer, it was noted that MassDOT inspects all bridges over 10 feet in length throughout the state and has regulatory authority over bridge safety.
The deterioration mechanism remains a subject of debate. While the engineering team identified marine borers, bacterial agents, chemical reactions with seawater, ice scraping, and freeze-thaw cycles as contributing factors, residents disputed some findings. Dalton specifically challenged the ice damage assessment, displaying photos from Florida marine structures showing similar deterioration patterns where ice is not a factor, attributing the damage instead to bore infestation related to the Clean Water Act of 1972.
Board Chair Brian Glennon emphasized the baseline established by the engineering presentation: “What we’re trying to do is establish the current baseline of what the bridge, what’s going on with the bridge, right, to make sure that everybody understands why we’re embarking, why the DOTs come in and put this on the TIP project, and people are now entering the discussion, well, is there another alternative to that? But the main point for tonight is what is the problem we’re trying to solve?”
Why It Matters
The Powder Point Bridge provides the only vehicle access to Duxbury Beach, a vital recreational and economic resource for the town. Its potential closure would force a lengthy detour through Marshfield, significantly impacting beach access, property values on the barrier beach, emergency response times, and the local economy. The decision between continuing expensive temporary repairs, pursuing the state’s replacement project, or exploring alternative restoration approaches represents one of the most significant infrastructure and financial choices facing Duxbury residents. With annual repair costs potentially approaching three-quarters of a million dollars and a replacement project estimated in the tens of millions, the stakes are extraordinarily high for taxpayers while community members grapple with preserving a historic structure versus ensuring long-term safety and reliability.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approval of aquaculture license renewal for Benjamin Lloyd, Lease #165866, for 10 years. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:32:34)
Motion: Approval of $24,380 expenditure from Evan H. Ellison Trust Fund for ADA rubber pathways at Ellison Playground. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:37:24)
Motion: Event permit granted to Sarah Roberts for Stagecoach Haunted Trail event, November 1, 2025, 6-10 p.m. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 0:44:49)
Motion: Acceptance of recommended rates for Blue Cross Blue Shield MedEx II (10.3% increase) and Medicare PPO Blue Freedom Rx (20.8% increase) retiree health insurance plans. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:07:49)
Motion: Approval and execution of Conservation Restriction #49 for Pink Property (65 acres) to Wildlands Trust. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 3:49:22)
Motion: Opening of March 14, 2026 Annual and Special Town Meeting warrants. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 3:50:01)
Motion: Declaration of temporary bonus shellfish season for November 2025 (commercial soft shell clams, commercial quahogs, clams, recreational soft shell clams). Outcome: Approved. Vote: 4-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 4:04:25)
Public Comment
Public comment was dominated by the Powder Point Bridge discussion, with multiple residents from Save Our Bridge requesting a pause on the replacement project to examine restoration alternatives. Christine Hill presented a petition with 5,800 signatures (3,800 from Duxbury residents). Peter Randall urged the board to consider alternative approaches and noted his family’s historic connection to bridge maintenance dating to the 1940s. Alicia Babcock requested time for timber specialist Dr. Dan Tingley to present to the board at the November 3rd meeting. Pete Dalton described multiple marine contractors interested in restoration work and cited examples of bridge rehabilitation projects in coastal areas nationwide. Several residents expressed concerns about the pace of decision-making and requested more community engagement.
For the McNeil Landfill capping project, residents raised questions about contaminated soil importation, PFAS concerns, wetland filling, and impacts on abutting properties. Kenneth McKim, a Heritage Lane resident whose property abuts the landfill, stated he has tested his irrigation well for PFAS with clean results and expressed strong concerns about project scope. Jen Mank, another Heritage Lane resident with waste in her backyard, stated, “I’m very concerned about this project... I really don’t want to have soil brought in that’s contaminated.” Jim Bigley of the Water and Sewer Advisory Board provided technical commentary on soil classifications and PFAS testing requirements. Bo Boynton advocated for continuing PFAS source investigations and questioned whether lessons were learned from the municipal landfill capping.
What’s Next
MassDOT will hold a Powder Point Bridge public meeting and listening session on October 21, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Duxbury High School cafeteria. The Selectboard will receive the FY27 budget for review at a special meeting on October 27, 2025. Deadline for Annual Town Meeting article submissions is December 1, 2025, at 4 p.m. The McNeil Landfill capping project will advance through preliminary design (25% level) through January 2026, with pre-application meetings with MassDEP to follow. The board expressed interest in hearing from Dr. Tingley about timber bridge restoration alternatives at a future meeting. Simpson Gumpertz & Heger will continue engineering work on the next phase of emergency bridge repairs scheduled for fall/winter 2025-26. The Care Solace mental health navigation program will launch a public information campaign over the next six weeks, with information sessions scheduled for November 5-6, 2025, at the Senior Center.