Timberline Post And Beam

FEMA Disaster Reimbursements On Hold For Damaged Roads and Bridges

(Beach Grass, MT - YPR) - Money to help local communities and states after a record year of natural disasters is in limbo because of disputes in Congress.

The impasse means the fund FEMA disaster relief could run out of money earlier this week. Meanwhile, refunds for disasters in Montana and 41 other states are pending.

In Montana, Fergus County was hit hard by flooding last spring. County Commissioner Ken Ronish said more than a dozen bridges were washed away. He says he knows some residents are impatient with the slow progress of road and bridge repair.

When asked about the lack of action in Congress, Ronish said Commissioners met with the Montana congressional delegation. He adds, the center of Montana county has borrowed $ 1 million in state funds for interlibrary loan cap to begin repairs.

"When a million dollars is done, we're done, except for routine maintenance," said Ronish. "People tell us to keep FEMA do not worry. It happens every year. I hope they right. "

Meanwhile, Fergus County paid $ 130 000 for a temporary bridge over McDonald Creek Grass Range, MT.

In mid-May, the constant rain caused the creek to rise.Flood waters washed approaches to existing timber bridge that connects Main Street to Forest Grove Road.

The 2010 U.S. Census reports there are 110 residents in the Grass line. Despite the small size of the city, resident Ron Nelson said that the road to the farm-to-market and the deck gets a lot of traffic.

"It gets a lot of traffic and lots of hay livestock," he said. "They will send about 9,000 head of cattle here. So there will be 5-6 semi-final a day very soon. "

Nelson remembers the days of the approach of the bridge fell away.

"A guy went, and then he thought he saw a hole, then shot. And he got through," Nelson said. "Looking back there, everything was open down there. Fortunately, no one has failed."

Another neighbor, Carroll Merritt says his pickup was the third vehicle on the deck before the asphalt is dropped, leaving a gap between the bridge and the road.

Fergus County officials tried unsuccessfully to barricade the bridge washed out. Residents were left with a deviation up to 20 miles to get to the Post Office. After a while, some people were impatient.

Merritt remembers that someone decided to drop I-beams through space for the trucks, no cars could use the bridge.

housebloom: Our Timber Frame

On a field-trip, to check-out potential vendors of post & beam and SIPS (structural insulating panels) for a USEPA Energy Star residential project, I had the pleasure of meeting the folks at Vermont Timber Frames (VTF).  VTF and their associated Timberline Panel Division design, manufacture, fabricate, and install traditional timber-frames and super-insulating SIP wall/roof panels. Shown here (above) is their Hundegger K2 five-axis CNC timber cutting machine.  With high accuracy and speed, this machine can mill all manner of traditonal timber-frame joinery.