The bridge connecting Martel Court to the Keene State Owl Stadium has officially closed after a year-long structural integrity assessment concluded. Over the past year, Keene State officials have observed concerning issues affecting the structural integrity of the Martel Court Bridge.
Collaborating with a structural engineering firm to assess the bridge’s integrity, Keene State Facilities received a formal report recommending the closure of the bridge until further steps could be determined.
In an email to all members of the college community, Vice President for Finance and Administration Nathalie Houder addressed the issue.
“We apologize for this inconvenience, but for the safety of our campus and local community, we had no choice but to close the bridge,” stated Houder.
Until it is determined what will happen to the Martel Court Bridge, school officials have installed instructional signs at both ends of the footbridge informing pedestrians that the bridge is no longer accessible.
Marty Testo, the director of athletics; Colin Burdick, the assistant director of facility services, and Joe Britton, the facility manager for grounds services were all reached for comment. They stated that they were unaware of the issue prior to the email and had no further information or future insights to provide.
The college’s facilities team encourages students, faculty, and visitors to use alternate pathways to reach Owl Stadium until the problem is resolved.
Xander Noel can be contacted at
xnoel@kscequinox.com
