BERNE — After more than a decade of disrepair, the Kaehler Lane Bridge is scheduled to be rebuilt within the month.

The bridge is the only passage over the Foxenkill for residents of Kaehler Lane and Chrysler Lane. While such bridges are typically built to a 40-ton standard, this bridge was posted at three tons in December, which raised concerns of whether residents would get fire protection, or be able to transport hay crops, logged wood, and oil.

[For a full history of the Kaehler Lane Bridge, go to www.altamontenterprise.com, and look under Hilltown archives for Jan. 21, 2010].

Congressman Paul Tonko’s federal transportation bill includes a $234,000 earmark for replacement of the Kaehler Lane Bridge, and the town’s 2010 budget contains a $216,000 increase in highway department revenues in anticipation of that grant money.

At the March town board meeting, the bridge reconstruction was awarded to Town and County Bridge and Rail, which submitted the lowest bid for the project at $155,657.

At last week’s town board meeting, Supervisor George Gebe read aloud the following timeline for the repair, as provided by Town and County Bridge and Rail to Kaehler Lane residents:

— July 19: The project will begin, temporary ramps will be removed, and the bridge will be returned to a three-ton limit;

— July 26 through Aug. 6: New concrete seats will be poured, and the contractor asks that use of the bridge be limited between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.;

— The week of Aug. 9: The old bridge will be removed, and the new superstructure and deck will be installed. The bridge will be closed one day during this week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and residents will be contacted about which day the bridge is to be closed;

— Construction is expected to be completed by Aug. 16.

According to the contractors, there will be a pedestrian bridge next to the worksite throughout the construction, and the town will coordinate fire protection.

Other business

In other business at its July 14 meeting, the town board:

— Agreed to begin negotiations with CSArch Architecture on architectural design services for the new library and senior center;

— Voted to send out a request for proposal for 10-kilowatt propane and diesel generators and installation at Town Hall, with the long-term goal of turning the building into an emergency contact and information center in the event of a power outage or storm;

— Voted to have Highway Superintendent Kenneth Weaver send out an RFP for guardrails needed on Long Road and Cass Hill Road; and

— Accepted Werner Knopp’s resignation from the zoning board of appeals.