The Chambers Covered Railroad Bridge Failing

WGN 37-20-40

 

Cottage Grove, OR, February 17, 2010 - The Chambers Railroad Bridge, the only covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi is failing.

The bridge has been out of use since the railroad that used it was sold for scrap in the 1950s.

Ready to collapse, the Cottage Grove City Council has passed a resolution declaring an emergency, giving state and federal agencies required to sign off on the rebuilding of the 94-year-old bridge impetus to push past the typical bureaucratic process. And it allows the city to award a contract, shortcutting the normal route of putting such a job out for bid. The city's date to start tearing the bridge apart is February 22.

For the story and photo, go to: http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/24468856-41/bridge-cottage-grove-covered-historic.csp.