County responsible for Red Bridge
The following letter was sent by the First Best Place nonprofit organization in Columbia Falls to the Flathead County Commissioners:
The county's historic Red Bridge in its present condition is blight, a violation of the county's community decay ordinance, a life-safety hazard and a growing attraction for crime.
As active partners in the redevelopment agreement, First Best Place is concerned about the lack of effort on the part of the county to cooperate in development of working documents from which to base refined budgets and informed decisions. We also are concerned the further deteriorating condition due to decades of deferred maintenance creates increasing liability.
First Best Place, the city of Columbia Falls, Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce, businesses and citizens have all expended time and money to assist the county in restoring the bridge for use as a pedestrian path to stimulate economic growth and enhanced quality of life.
Recent threats by the commissioners regarding withdrawing its commitment to use Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds to partially fund the restoration do not acknowledge the county's responsibility of ownership.
The clear distinction between this CTEP project and others is this is the county's property. The community came to the commissioners to assist the county in developing a world-class asset from its serious liability.
Withdrawing the current county administration's commitment to partially fund restoration would be only the latest of many unfulfilled agreements and re-allocated funds - another reminder to citizens of the Flathead Valley that in the history of CTEP, millions have gone to other projects in the valley but none of the county's allocation of these federal tax dollars has been returned to Columbia Falls. Further, that action would bring into question the entire countywide Parks and Trails Plan for Flathead County in which the Historic Red Bridge Trail and Park are key elements.
Progress toward the restoration of the Old Red Bridge is blocked by the lack of working engineering documents. Conceptual engineer's budgets vary greatly until defined by development drawings.
The alternative to the bridge re-construction is removal. Removal also requires permitting and engineering. It is logical that the county develop documents from which to base informed decisions for either construction costs or removal costs. It is also logical that the county should set aside costs of removal to be used for re-development while it actively participates with its partners in completing funding plans.
Just as the costs of deferred maintenance have been passed on from previous county leadership, so too the cost of engineering for and removal of the bridge will remain a county obligation even if the current commissioners "kick the can down the road." Crime and risk will increase. Someone will be injured.
Knowing that communities who value their waterways and restore blighted conditions prosper, your partners remain committed to assist you.