Way back in August of 2006, a brush fire damaged the south span of what is sometimes referred to as the Park Place bridge, a bike/pedestrian bridge over the Clackamas river, near Cross Park in Gladstone. Owned by Clackamas County Service District 1, it also holds the diversion sewer pipeline between the North Clackamas sewer system and the Tri-City sewage treatment plant. It also provides the best access from Milwaukie/Gladstone to the Oregon City area, the north side of the Clackamas, and to the soon to be developed Willamette river slough at Oregon City. We ride through the park often, during training rides. The bridge is on our commuting path, and without this access, riders must ride down to, and cross over, McLoughlin Blvd, and then cross the river on the sidewalk of the Dr. John McLoughlin Memorial Bridge. Today, the Oregonian reports:
“Clackamas County announced today that it will delay repairing
the 82nd Drive pedestrian bridge this summer because an insurance company has yet to settle a claim involving the structure. The popular bridge over the Clackamas River in the High Rocks area between Oregon City and Gladstone has been closed since Aug. 14, when it caught fire. A study by a consulting firm found that damage made the bridge unsafe and that fixing it would cost about $305,000, said S.J. Brown, spokeswoman for Clackamas County Water Environment Services. County officials hope to receive an insurance settlement by spring 2008. An alternate pedestrian crossing is the Oregon 99E bridge about a half-mile downstream.”

OK, so far it looks like it is going to take 18 months just for W.E.S. to settle with the insurance company on cost and liability of the fire?
So, if repairs are delayed until spring of 2008, does that put the reopening in the summer of 2008? That would be 2 years that the bridge has been closed. So now all the public sees is a chain-link fence closing the entrances, with no indication as to why, and when, or if, anything will be done.

This is disappointing