Updated 04/27/2010 08:30 AM
Bridge safety key concern in Sunset Report
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The
Capital Metro Board voted to spend nearly $2 million to replace a freight rail bridge in Manor.
The old wooden bridge spans Gilleland Creek, in Manor. Freight trains have run over it for nearly 100 years. Over time, the bridge has suffered fire and structure damage.
Capital Metro carried out hodge-podge repairs, but two years ago experts declared the bridge no longer useful.
"We began with hiring an engineer in 2008 to begin the engineering design and advanced it this far for the actual construction," John Almond with Capital Metro Engineering & Construction said.
Capital Metro officials said many bridges on freight routes need repair and replacement, but not those on commuter routes.
However, the Sunset Advisory Report states differently. The study shows rail bridge safety on the MetroRail is one of four key concerns for the agency.
Capital Metro officials say the Sunset Commission based thier findings on old information. The agency said MetroRail's new operator, Herzog, did its own assessment.
Click here to read the full report by the Sunset Advisory Commission (.pdf file).
"In their opinion, the bridges were not in that bad a shape. It was not the sky falling in. They identified bridges that needed to be repaired. None needed to be replaced, and went out and got the work done prior to beginning of service," Almond said.
That's not the only discrepancy. The report describes a lavish bonus given to an outgoing general manager that the old board approved behind closed doors.
Board member John Cowan voted in favor of that bonus.
"There's a lot of history there, and I think it requires a lot of tweaking. It's a little bit more than I think what the Sunset report has indicated," he said. He would not elaborate further.
Cowan was one of the longest-serving members of the board, and just like the bridge, he's seen a lot of water flow beneath. It’s a current that continues to expose more defects as the waters of time pass.
Capital Metro's new board has decided to add a permanent item to its agenda.
From now on there will be discussions and updates in every meeting regarding some aspect of the Sunset report.