Dukes County commissioners will seek to begin a dialogue with the state, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown about safety issues at the big bridge following the tragic deaths of brothers Tavaughn and Tavaris Bulgin last weekend.
Two young boys were rescued after their inflatable raft drifted offshore near the big bridge on Beach Road Monday, prompting a flurry of response from public safety officials.
Officer Bradley Cortez is one of many Islanders participating in the Cold Water Challenge. Those challenged are asked to jump in cold water to bring awareness to a cause. If they opt not to take a chilly plunge, they can donate money to the charity.
The state wants to spend $3.25 million replacing the Big and Little Bridges on Beach Road along Sengekontacket Pond with concrete structures, but last week at a public hearing in the Oak Bluffs School, a handful of Islanders tried convincing state engineers to tread lightly because these are no ordinary bridges.
The two bridges built of wood are as beloved as the covered bridges of Vermont, said Thea Hansen, a resident of Oak Bluffs who handles seasonal real estate rentals.
They're recreational destinations for fishermen and children, said Kenneth Abbott of Edgartown.
Revised plans to replace the storied Big and Little Bridges along Beach Road in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs were unveiled this week, and Massachusetts highway officials say they are confident the design will fit the character of the Vineyard.
County engineer Steve Berlucchi presented the plans to Edgartown selectmen at their regular meeting Tuesday afternoon.
"I think we have a much better design that Island residents will appreciate," Mr. Berlucchi said. "Everybody who has seen it so far is on board."
Although it was completed and opened to motorists just last week, the new Big Bridge spanning Oak Bluffs and Edgartown at Joseph Sylvia State Beach has already caused concern among county officials, who worry the back railing of the wooden platform is too close to Beach Road, leaving pedestrians and sunbathers at risk of injury by oncoming traffic this summer.
