A six member delegation from Nevada County successfully convinced the State Senate Budget Committee to accellerate funding for the restoration of The Bridgeport Covered Bridge Thursday.
Supervisor Hank Weston, President of the South Yuba River Park Association David Anderson, Nevada City City Councilman Robert Bergman, along with ”Save our Bridge” members Doug Moon, Shirley Moon, and Mickey Springer addressed the Senate Committee to try and convince them to move funding proposed for 2016-17 to an earlier year.
Click here to listen to Supervisor Hank Weston
Supervisor Weston says the conversation went better than expected.
Click here to listen to Supervisor Hank Weston
Phase 1 of the project is funded to provide basic stabilization work and scheduled to take place in 2014, should protect the span from a catastrophic failure. Phase 2 construction, if the design plan and permitting process goes well, could be shovel-ready well in time for the 2015-2016.
With the Senate committee taking action, Weston says the proposal goes to the Assembly in April for review and the team from Nevada County will be there too. The last step is the Governor’s desk.
The Bridgeport Covered Bridge is the longest single span wooden covered bridge left in the world. It draws visitors from all over the world and is a key economic driver for the region. In 2011, State Parks closed the Bridgeport Covered Bridge to pedestrian traffic after engineers found severe and unsafe structural problems.
Douglas Moon
Please broadcast this news to our community. Let them know to continue to call, write, fax and email the Assembly Budget Sub-committee who will have a hearing on this budget item next. Encourage the Assembly sub-committee to continue the State's support to restore and reopen the historic wood covered bridge at the South Yuba River State Park!!! For more information go to www.southyubariverstatepark.org Thank you!