Report: Santa Will Cross the Pelham Island Bridge Tonight

The update below was provided by Pelham Island resident Gary Slep.

Forget the end of the world predictions for tomorrow as the Mayan calendar ends Friday. Forget the local weather predictions of heavy downpours. Santa is coming Friday the 21st of December to our Pelham Island neighborhood, as he has for years. The gates on the bridge will be open to the jolly elf; and the children will have another once-in-a-year opportunity to see Santa before Christmas, right here in our neighborhood.

More good news:

The temporary bridge holding the gas line and the water main is ready for removal; and, rather than wait for spring, and another week-long bridge closure, the contractor and the town have decided that the quiet Christmas week – no school buses, more vacationers, etc. – would be a good time to remove the utility bridge structure while the weather is still fairly good.

[Wednesday] National Grid and Neuco finished the connections to the new gas line running on the arch bridge and cut the temporary gas line over the temporary utility bridge.  The water main was disconnected a few weeks ago.  Nstar and the Wayland Fire Department removed their lines days ago, leaving only the cables and telephone lines of Verizon and Comcast. The removal of those two companies’ lines will not impede the general contractor from removing the utility bridge next week.

The guard rails are being installed today and Friday. That work is expected to be done before Santa arrives, providing him the safety protection he deserves.  And the new white lane stripes will guide him and the accompanying Wayland firefighters to our party site on Jeffrey Road.

Once the utility bridge and guardrail projects are completed, the bridge will be officially opened to the public. That will occur at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28.  Emergency vehicles will have ongoing access to the bridge throughout next week for the first time in over six months.

Although it is regrettable that the official opening has been delayed a week, I’m sure the residents of the “Island” would rather the work be done now than endure another week of construction in the spring.