Why should the rail trail be saddled with the cost of bridge repair for vehicle transportation purposes?
We are not repairing bridges for vehicle transportation purposes. We are making the minimum repairs to bridges to ensure that they are safe for pedestrians and bicycles. This includes installing decks where needed, repairing decks, and installing safety rails. For 3 of the 8 bridges on the trail, we are also repairing the bridge abutments and bridge bearings on these abutments. Since these repairs will require that we support the bridge above the bearings, for very little additional cost, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to slightly raise these bridges. We want to protect our investment. Slightly raising these bridges will prevent them from being struck and damaged by the existing vehicle traffic.
