The foot bridge over the South Fork of the Palouse River was designed to float off an abutment and pivot to one side of the river during high water.  It was installed 20 years ago and floated for the first time during February’s flood.  The bridge didn’t float to the shore as designed and instead became wedged just off the abutments.

Inspectors have been able to determine that the structure was not damaged and can likely be reset.  One abutment sustained slight damage and some rock armoring on the other footing was scoured away.

Officials are now working through a myriad of issues to move forward to try and place the foot bridge back in place.  City Public Works Director Sean Wells says they need to determine if the bridge can be lifted by a crane, dislodged and reset.  That involves avoiding overhead powerlines and the arches would have to be removed and then reattached to the deck.  Another issue is coming up with a contingency plan if the bridge is able to lift but then becomes damaged in the air.

Wells indicates that the biggest problem might likely involve the required approvals and permits from the city, state and federal government.  If the bridge can be reset the city needs the work to first pass the state environmental checklist and receive a shoreline work permit from its planning department.  Other approvals are needed from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, state Department of Ecology and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before the work could begin.  Wells believes that a best case scenario would have the bridge back in place by the end of August.  There’s no word on how much the fix would cost if it’s feasible.

In the meantime, the pedestrian bridge between the Pine Street Plaza and the Riverwalk remains closed.