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Pedestrian Bridge closure update

A section of the trail will be closed next week for rock hauling and removal.
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A section of the dike trail will be closed periodically next week for rock hauling and removal from the south side of the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge.

Hauling will begin Monday, November 27, with expected completion by Thursday, November 29. Hauling trucks will access the dike trail from 7th Ave and barricades will be placed at the trail access points as needed during times of active work.

The contractor has notified the Town of Golden that work on the Pedestrian Bridge is going well, and the south side of the bridge is expected to be lowered by the end of the week. Repair work on the north side of the bridge will commence following lowering of the structure on the south side.

The Pedestrian Bridge will likely remain closed until mid-December, in order to undergo repairs that involve lifting of the structure. The project is expected to wrap up by the end of January.

“Closure dates will be subject to change, pending the speed of progress of necessary repair works to the supporting timber structures as communicated to the public previously this year,” says Town Chief Administrative Officer Jon Wilsgard. “Closure signs will be posted on site, and we will inform residents of any changes as information is provided to us by the project manager.”

As a result of changes to the original bridge design, superstructure additions and adjacent landscaping, rain and melt water has been inadvertently and to varying degrees, directed toward the abutments and bottom chord bearing points, subjecting them to long term and continual moisture.

Since its construction 16 years ago, structural timbers subjected to continuous moisture has resulted in premature decay and failure of the foundational elements of the Bridge.

A scheduled condition assessment of the structure in 2016 uncovered these structural issues and causes for failure.

“The findings came as a complete shock to staff,” Wilsgard said. “Admittedly, we hadn’t conducted any detailed structural inspections since it was built, but for something that is supposed to last several centuries, to be in this bad a shape after so little time is something that could have never been reasonably forecast.”

Funding for the repairs comes through Town of Golden reserves, the Resort Municipality Initiative, and a grant from the Columbia Basin Trust