Below is a letter sent in reply to Associated Engineering's "unsolicited" letter regarding SkyTrail safety.
Dear Outlook Town Council Members,
After reading Associated Engineers' letter presented at the last Town Council meeting our Committee is issuing this letter as a rebuttal.
The Bridge Engineers reported of November 6, 2013 outlined all the deficiencies they had found. They did not make any statement that these repairs had to be made nor did they recommend any expenditures. Their one concern was that the "east abutment might be unstable." Elevations taken on November 9, 2013 showed a difference of 3.4 feet (1.03 meters) between the concrete floor of the inlet building and the top of the east abutment. Elevations taken on May 1, 2023 showed the difference to be 3.4 feet, so the east abutment had not moved in over 9 years and 6 months.
The damage outlined in their report occurred while the trains were traveling on the bridge. (It would be quite a stretch to think that natural elements like wind and expansion and contraction of steel portions of the bridge could cause this damage). This March will be the 38th year since the last train across the bridge on March 6, 1987. People walking the bridge from May 15, 2004 to November 6, 2013, certainly would not have been a factor in damaging SkyTrail.
In the spring of 2014, Associated Engineering estimated emergency expenditure of over $900,000 to lift the East End of the bridge off of the "east abutment" to make the necessary repairs. (Their version of stability was very different to what the Bridge Engineers were proposing). Outlook Town Council turned down their proposal. On December 14, 2022 once again Associated Engineering put forward another proposal (still based on the original report) with emergency repairs now estimated at $3,550,000, with a final estimate of an additional $10,050,000 to complete all repairs. Associated Engineering's portion was going to be $1,080,000 - not a bad payday for unnecessary repairs. The Outlook Town Council rejected their proposal.
Since the last train passed over the bridge in 1987 the riverbank slump caused the east abutment and the next two piers to drop straight down with no damage to the SkyTrail deck or the superstructure. The report didn't even mention the piers, only if the east abutment was stable. Associated once everyone to believe that millions of dollars need to be spent to make the bridge safe. This is a fishing trip trying to drum up business for their company. It is time that Associated Engineering stick to dealing with sewer and water issues and leave SkyTrail alone.
Respectfully submitted by
SkyTrail Trailblazer Committee:
Chairperson, Con Hammer
Dear Editor,
Council received their letter (as printed above) and reviewed it at the February 12, 2025 Council meeting. Council received this letter under "Correspondence", which meant that as it was not an "agenda" item it would not appear in the minutes and therefore was not on the public record.
The safety of SkyTrail is still a problem as the baseline survey that Gary Rittinger and I undertook in April and May 2023 showed vandals had removed some planks from the deck. This was reported to the Council by letter on May 2, 2023; however, even though the cost is in the range of $500 the Council would not make the repairs even though they knew people were walking on SkyTrail.
Should anyone be killed or injured because of the damage to the deck, Council would not be covered by insurance because the insurance company could claim Council was negligent in not making the repairs when they knew there were people on the bridge at various times, probably at night when visibility was poor.
This work was included in the carpenter's original estimate and he will make repairs when access is available. The chain link fence at the entry must be removed and the screen chained into place with a lock to allow for easier entry. I am prepared to work with Luke to make the changes. Once the weather warms up and the snow clears people will be climbing the fence and walking the bridge, so this work should be done as soon as possible. Hopefully this issue will be resolved before our Committee meets with the Council in April.
Our Trailblazer Committee is preparing a submission on SkyTrail to be presented at a future Council meeting on or before April 2, 2025.
Respectfully submitted by
SkyTrail Trailblazer Committee:
Chairperson, Con Hammer
