TOBIE Trail: River closure slated as project nears completion

A quarter-mile stretch of the Moose River from the Route 28 bridge south will be closed to paddlers from noon on Tuesday, October 8 until noon on Wednesday, October 9 due to the installation of the bridge to connect the pedestrian/bicycle TOBIE trail.

Buoys and signs will be put in place to mark the area of river closure for the 24-hour period, according to Mike Carpenter, resident engineer for project contractor Barton & Loguidice.

Workers putting the finishing touches on TOBIE’s Eagle Bay Welcome Center.  LEFT: The TOBIE Trail as it leaves Eagle Bay to enter Hamilton County.  Photos by Dawn Montanye

Workers putting the finishing touches on TOBIE’s Eagle Bay Welcome Center.
LEFT: The TOBIE Trail as it leaves Eagle Bay to enter Hamilton County.
Photos by Dawn Montanye

A 350-ton crane will lift and place the entire bridge on a new bridge seat, a shelf on the face of the bridge abutment. 

The existing abutments are being reused with a new cast in place and a new cast over the retaining walls.

The installation of the bridge and paving and painting of about 1,000 feet of trail both East and West of the bridge will signal the final stages of work on the TOBIE trail from Thendara to Old Forge.

The work is part of Phase II of the project which also includes the construction of the new Eagle Bay Welcome Center.

IMG_1376_crpThe trail, bridge and welcome center are scheduled for completion in late October/early November, said Greg Miller, project manager for Barton & Loguidice.

The portion of the TOBIE trail from the Thendara train station to the intersection with the Joy Tract Road in Old Forge is for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians only, a condition of the APA permit.

The intent is that it will be plowed and maintained during the winter for pedestrian traffic, according to Town of Webb Supervisor Ted Riehle.

Maintenance will be done and paid for by the Town of Webb—using existing equipment— and will be part of sidewalk maintenance work done by the Town.

Signage will be put up on the trail to indicate non-motorized use.

Gates will be placed at both entrances to the bridge to narrow the trail allowing only foot and bike traffic.

Completion of the Eagle Bay Welcome Center involves completing interior finishes, exterior stone work, paving of the driveway and finishing the trail segment.

The segment of TOBIE starts at Big Moose Road, runs behind the welcome center, crosses Route 28, and connects up with the paved trail at the Hamilton County line on the south side of Route 28.

The trail currently has a sub base surface and needs a final grade of stone dust.

Stone dust was decided on versus paving because of the ease and lower costs of maintenance due to wear from snowmobile and other use, Riehle said.

The interior of the welcome center has an area for information and two restrooms, and will be open year round.

While no one will staff the center, it will be maintained daily, the details of which are still being worked out said Riehle.

Phase II of the TOBIE trail project started in May of this year. The $2 million project is on time and on budget according to Riehle.

The cost of the project was 80 percent federally funded with a 20 percent match by the Town of Webb.

The end of Phase II marks the completion of the 14-mile TOBIE trail project from Thendara to Inlet.

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