Cribari Bridge Opens as Saugatuck Tradition Continues
The William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge over the Saugatuck River opened this evening for boat traffic, a tradition for the historical swing bridge spanning over 100 years. Constructed in 1884 and renovated in 1993 - the bridge originally was operated manually, with a large bar being pushed by hand to rotate the bridge on its track. Now powered by a motor, the operation requires State Department of Transportation personnel to man the bridge and operate the motor - which can open and close the bridge in about five minutes as boat traffic passes alongside it. Maintenance has kept the bridge working efficiently, though in moments when the motor failed - the original manual operation still can be seen observed from the riverbank. Despite its age, the bridge opens up throughout the summer months when high tides force up-river boats to request passage, sometimes several times each week. Click here for more information on the Route 136 bridge. WestportLocal.com photo