10/05/2002
Constructing A Bridge Of Stone For Greenfields: Part 2
 Unloading 3,200 lb. Stone Crossbeams |
The components for "Stone Bridge" in Greenfields arrived yesterday and construction is still in progress. The 3,200 pound stone crossbeams were placed on the concrete footers yesterday, and the 7,000 pound flat slabs that were sawed in Atlanta were placed on the crossbeams today. We used a large trackhoe fitted with straps and chains to transport each stone, one at a time, from the cul-de-sac to the creek. It was a very meticulous endeavor that was both dangerous and slow. After the straps and/or chains were strategically placed around a stone, the trackhoe operator gradually raised the boom until the stone was lifted approximately a foot off the ground. After appropriate balance was confirmed, the stone was slowly lifted higher into position. As the big machine rotated and started inching its way along the gravel road toward the hiking trail, loud squeaking of metal tracks and the popping gravels echoed throughout the surrounding forest.
Great skill was necessary to safely transport the big stones from the cul-de-sac, along the narrow hiking trail, down a steep hill, and over to the creek. The distance from the road, through the forest, and to the creek was a little less than 1/4 mile. Each stone was successfully placed and no one was injured. Only a few more days of work will be required to complete construction of a bridge that will last for centuries.
