The Trowbridge Falls Pedestrian Bridge will be closed until next summer after a study showed it was unsafe parks officials say.
City park manager Paul Fayrick said the bridge’s wooden support beams are rotting and the city decided to close it off after several studies were done over the past several years showing greater signs of deterioration.
"It’s gotten to the point now where we have to close it to err on the side of public safety," Fayrick said. "We can’t predict how much of a load might be on there. Although it’s not about to fall into the river you never know how many people could be on it," Fayrick.
Built in 1971, signs of rot were first spotted by a visiting structural engineer in 2008. While an inspection has been done on the brige every year since then, Fayrick said the rotting would really became noticeable this year.
"It probably needed an inspection earlier than it got it," Fayrick said. "It would have been nice if we’d had this bridge inspected earlier and we could’ve gone to council a couple years earlier."
Fayrick said the bridge will cost an estimated $450,000 to fix including new railings which were not up to current building code standards. The bridge will have a high priority on the parks department’s 2011 capital budget and a new regular maintenance program will be put in place said Fayrick.
While the bridge is fenced off on both sides might mean a slight inconvenience for users of the park, Fayrick said there are alternative routes for people to cross the river. Two bridges can be accessed by campers, Current River can still be accessed by Kinsmen Park and Centennial Park as well Fayrick said.
"The bride is not necessary to get into the river and play so I think the local people will have as much fun in the river as they normally do," said Fayrick.
