Friends of the Pioneer Street Bridge.

The Friends of the Pioneer Street Bridge (FPSB) was a non-profit group formed out of citizens' efforts to save the Pioneer Street Bridge. The group was opposed to the replacement of the historic iron truss Pioneer Street Bridge with a new concrete and steel span bridge. Local architect Sandra Vitzthum and Montpelier resident Patricia Blouin served as co-presidents of the FPSB while transportation policy analyst, Tony Redington, served as the group's vice president.

The City of Montpelier began considering replacing the Pioneer Street Bridge in 1992. The question of whether the bridge should be rehabilitated and preserved first arose in 1994 when Holden Engineering was retained by the city and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTRANS) to identify alternatives. The controversy surrounding this question lasted until in 2001, during which time supporters of the bridge contended that it be preserved and rehabilitated in its original location, citing its historic value and traffic calming effects as grounds for its preservation.

The Pioneer Street Bridge was an iron Pratt through truss bridge constructed in 1929 by the Palmer Steel Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. A covered bridge preceded the iron truss Pioneer Street Bridge but was destroyed in the flood of 1927. The iron truss Pioneer Street Bridge was built as part of a massive effort by the State of Vermont to rebuild after that flood. Claims and findings made during the controversy over the fate of the bridge revealed that it met the registration requirements for the "Metal, Masonry, and Concrete Bridges of Vermont" and was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

From the description of Friends of the Pioneer Street Bridge records, 1988-2001 (bulk: 1992-2001). (Vermont Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 457224471