The Clam River bridge at the bottom of South Beech Plain Road remains closed, as if has been since October. This does not create too big a problem, since the detour over to Rt. 57 (Sandisfield Road) is the relatively short, scenic River Road.

However, River Road does get narrow, particularly as it rises to crest in front of Margaret O'Clair's place (the historic Ozias Deming house from about 1800, one of Sandisfield's finest architectural buildings). Other than that, the road is well oiled and for the most part smooth.

Across the river, running parallel to River Road, is Rt. 57, or Sandisfield Road, with its own small bridge, this one circa 1950s lying across Silver Brook next door to the former Silverbrook Tavern and Cafe.

Unfortunately, according to State inspectors, this bridge is also in need of replacement. While not as decrepit as the closed bridge across the Clam, it's on the State's list.

The trouble is that these two bridges lie perpendicular to each other, two sides of a triangle.

Should the Silver Brook bridge suddenly be taken out of service, as the Beech Plain bridge was last fall, traffic on Rt. 57 would be stymied big time. And 57 is the main artery across southern Sandisfield, from Tolland to New Marlborough. With no 57, it's a long detour to get from here to there.

DPW Superintendent Derek Boomsma is well aware of that ugly possibility and has been working hard to avoid it. "We've had construction plans on the Beech Plain bridge approved for some time," he said. "We're waiting on State grants, which we should hear about in a month or so. Then we can get started replacing that one."

He added, "I've used the risk of losing both bridges at the same time to encourage the State to speed up the process, if possible. They know the risks here."

Many Sandisfielders, negotiating the scenic route along River Road, are aware of the risks, too.