McDonald’s new “Big Arch” burger contains 1,030 calories. Pelham’s Arches, on the other hand, are threatening to bloat Town costs and weigh on council sentiment following November’s road closure due to safety reasons. At Wednesday’s council meeting, members debated rehabilitation options for the structure, but ultimately opted to defer a decision over spending $25,000 recommended in a report to council.
A structural review of the arches recommends installing 48 brackets to reinforce joint connections and provide structural redundancy. This cost of up to $25,000 doesn’t include the $6,000 already spent by the Town after November’s incident, when at least one bolt failed leading to swaying and a road closure.
In addition, the review suggests removing the arches’ cladding in order to reduce wind load.
That wasn’t enough for Ward 3 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt, a former engineer who voted against the options.
“I’m not convinced … they’re safe at the present time,” Hildebrandt said, instead recommending a peer review of the structure. “I think it’s essential we have a peer review.”
Public Works Director Jason Marr disputed the idea the arches are unsafe, saying that a “significant wind event” this past week saw an inspector sent out, who subsequently reported satisfaction with their current condition.
Ward 1’s Wayne Olson voiced concerns as well, asking the Town’s engineer to conduct a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA).
“We’re lucky we found out about it with the one bolt,” Olson said, in reference to the problem identified in the November incident.
In addition to the report's options, a preventative maintenance program would be included in the continued upkeep of the arches.
The Town assumed ownership and liability for the structure in 2023 following a service-club charity drive that raised most of the funds for construction.
In the end, council directed staff to continue to investigate a peer review of the design and remove the cladding.