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In preparation for the new Route 865 realignment through the east side of Bellwood to be completed by fall of 2002, houses have been moving around like never seen before it this neck of the valley. Unless you’re keeping tabs day to day, you might have to look around for a moment to see just where the homes near the worksite are sitting compared to your last visit. The following eight images show how the landscape has been reforming in order to save the demolishing of homes that will live to serve for decades into the new millenium. Each image has a caption immediately below it offering a brief description of some of the action that took place March 8, 2002. For a peek at progress on the sister project of this improvement, click here.

Back to Miscellaneous Photos • Route 865 Realignment map • Footbridge Progess

Winter 2002 found the East Main Street area looking more like a massive, slow-motion chessboard than the static, quiet neighborhood it's been for the last five or six decades. This East Main Street home has just been pulled from it's original foundation and is headed 100 yards northeast for relocation. The old furnace can be seen with rubble piled on it just below the center of the image.

The gentleman in the right of the photo said the estimated weight of the house was 49 tons. The undercarriage wheel arrangements resemble the landing gear from a large airliner. Steel “I” beams are used between the wheelsets and the house itself for solid support of the structure.

A side view of the arrangement reaveals the dual-wheel truck-tractor used to manuever the building from beginning to end.

Excavators were hard at work preparing the house’s new resting place, where it will be backed down the earth ramp to once again face East Main Street.

This shot offers a view of the action looking south from the front of the first re-located home that was set in place in December. The two house trailers visible to the right of the yellow house brought in at the beginning of March and will be used a offices for the Route 865 realignment project. The standing water marks the spot for yet a third house to be move into place in the coming weeks.

A full view of the first house to be set in place shows the new foundation that was built under it. The steel “I” beams are removed (one can be seen to the right of the house) after the foundation has reached the underside of the structure, leaving a number of un-blocked, vee-shaped gaps around the top

This recently re-sided home was moved one full lot away from the corner where it once rested (foreground) and is ready to have a new foundation built up under it (see next photo). Route 865 will leave Logan Street where I was standing for this photo and swing to the west between the house and where the existing stop sign is. The garage that once was directly behind the house is now another 30 feet away from the back porch.

This view shows the grid of steel girders and wooden supports that provide a temporary resting place for the building. Forms for the foundation footer can be seen around the edge of the hole, along with two of the six temporary piers used for the large house.

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