Friday after discovering that the bridge had deteriorated more than previously known. ACHD plans to begin working toward a full removal and replacement of the bridge, he said. He said he also would contact the school district to coordinate bus routes. The bridge will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists, ACHD said in a press release.
The bridge connects the Boise River Greenbelt, which runs on both sides of the river west of the bridge and only the north side to the east. According to Head, the agency inspects bridges every two years, with more in-depth evaluations for concept studies before beginning projects. The last time the agency did an in-depth evaluation on the Eckert bridge was five years ago.
The latest assessment found moderate to severe decay on 22 of 48 bridge pillars, according to the press release. On the center pier, five of the six timber piles showed severe decay. The emergency declaration, Head said, will move the timeline up. Commissioner Kent Goldthorpe said the agency needed to treat the closure with the same urgency as when the Cloverdale Bridge over Interstate 84 closed following a deadly crash in The Idaho Transportation Department inspected the bridge during the closure and found it unsafe for vehicles, according to prior Idaho Statesman reporting.
Some of the commissioners questioned where the money would come from for the replacement. There could be issues with moving funds from projects that have already started, they said. Commissioner Patricia Nilsson recommended that the agency may want to reach out to Idaho Rep.
The suspected perpetrator also died. A local business owner says the ongoing retail crime problem has forced his staff to take take matters into their own hands, often chasing thieves down themselves. A ski lift at a popular resort in New Hampshire remained closed Monday after a chair detached over the weekend, sending a man plummeting 20 feet to the ground below, officials announced. Career government officials have reportedly sought to counter efforts by Musk aides working with his Department of Government Efficiency to gain access to troves of classified information without proper authorization.
