Bridge in North Bend ruled unsafe
October 31, 2008
By Ed Farrell
A small wooden bridge on Boalch Avenue, known as Bridge No. 1, has been declared as unsafe and “ready to fail,” according to King County’s Roads Services Division.
The bridge is located between the King County Sheriff’s Office substation and the Meadowbrook Farms Interpretive Center.
Public Works Director Ron Garrow told the North Bend City Council Oct. 28 that the bridge “needs to be closed,” but declined to do so until the city’s legal counsel first weighed in on the matter.
Jim Markus, managing engineer for the county’s bridges department, said the bridge “is in an advance stage of rot, and has been rotting for awhile. It’s no longer safe to use.”
While discussing the matter with the council, Garrow noted that the board had discussed the structure in 2007, but had not budgeted for either repair or replacement.
Markus said county engineers had been keeping a close eye on the structure, given previous concerns about the bridge’s stability.
“The numbers say it can’t even hold itself up,” Markus said.
Still, Markus said the bridge didn’t meet criteria to dictate an immediate emergency closure by county officials.
“In this case, it was our decision to recommend closure,” Markus said.
Garrow said it will cost the city as much as $300,000 to replace the bridge, if a box culvert device is used and even more if a full-blown bridge design is used.
Repairs alone could run in the vicinity of $80,000.
Garrow said once a final decision is reached on how to address the bridge, Boalch Avenue will likely be closed for as much as two months.
Garrow said a second span, the Elm Way Bridge, was also inspected and found to be safe.
A third bridge, located outside of North Bend, was closed at noon Oct. 31 due to serious deterioration, Markus said.
The Sunday Creek bridge, a small span on North Fork Road SE, about 17 miles northeast of North Bend, will be closed immediately, and for an indefinite period of time.
Markus said replacement of the Sunday Creek span is a $1.5 million project that will have to be approved by the King County Council.
Reach reporter Ed Farrell at efarrell@snovalleystar.com or 392-6434.
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