Juan Perez, left, Julio Gonzalez, middle, and James Pederson, right, of Tri-State Painting assemble cables and bracing for a containment system that will allow them to work under the Quechee Gorge Bridge and remove paint without material escaping into the river below or surrounding areas in Quechee, Vt., on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. The Quechee Gorge Trail will be detoured to the Visitor Center Trail for the duration of the work. In the first phase of the project this fall, paint will be removed so the steel structure can be assessed. Over the next two years, corroded parts of the structure will be replaced, it will be repainted, the deck will be widened to accommodate six foot sidewalks that will extend west on Route 4 to parking areas, and new safety fencing will be installed, said Tom Chase, of Greenman-Pederson Inc., a consultant to the Vermont Agency of Transportation. From April to November of 2024 and 2025, automobile and pedestrian traffic will be reduced to one alternating lane. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. valley news — James M. Patterson