Netherland Inn Bridge Update 3/3/03


	The utilities are in place and easy to work on under the existing bridge so from a functional / maintenance perspective keeping the existing bridge in place for utility lines is a highly attractive option.

	Any other option (either placing sewers in river bed or hanging sewers immediately beneath the decking on the new bridge) requires building a sewer lift station and even if building a sewer lift station was deemed acceptable from a cost perspective ($250,000), the prospect of maintaining and/or repairing breaks or leaks in a sewer line that is suspended immediately under the bridge decking would require renting highly specialized equipment that would allow maintenance employees to be extended in a bucket 80 feet over the water under the bridge. Mobilizing for this type of repair would be time consuming and expensive whereas the pipes in place on the existing bridge are very easy to access and to repair quickly without specialized equipment.

	Likewise, if the sewer line was embedded in the river bed rather than under the decking, repairs would involve increased employee safety risks and further specialized equipment to perform the work in/under water.

	Therefore, from a functional perspective, keeping the existing bridge is the optimal choice.