Building A Bridge
Local 95 members keep trail above water
If you build it, they will pay.
Last September, volunteers from UAW Local 95’s Community Services Committee rebuilt an old bridge above a creek on a 10-mile walking trail.
The local had adopted a 2-mile stretch of the trail near Blackhawk Golf Course in Janesville, Wis.
“The bridge needed to be replaced, and the city was offered a federal grant of $30,000. But it required that the work be done by volunteer labor. That’s where we came in,” said retiree Bill Sheridan.
“We’ve gotten lots of positive feedback from the community since no taxpayer money was used,” added Sheridan, who worked for 39 years at Janesville’s General Motors Truck and Bus plant.
Spanning 8 feet by 25 feet long, the new bridge is wider and stronger than the old one, which was riddled with rotted timbers and weak in several spots.
Active and retired Local 95 members worked in stages — from tearing down the old bridge to clearing brush — and it took about two weeks to complete.
“We had some problems along the way,” Sheridan said, “but we worked with a city engineer who oversaw the project.”
UAW Region 4 Director Dennis Williams was pleased with the results and the local’s initiative. “We’re very proud of this type of active community service in our region,” he said.
