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http://www.omniture.com --> Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 21, 2006 Dan Roberts, chairman of Citizens for Rebuilding Wimer Bridge, sits on the steps of a scaled-down replica of the bridge that they were using to sell concessions in Rogue River Saturday. (Mail Tribune / Jim Craven) Coming together to build a bridge By damian mann Mail Tribune The wait might soon be over for Wimer residents eager to see their covered bridge rebuilt after it collapsed almost three years ago. Jackson County received a $342,000 federal grant from the Highway Bridge and Repair Fund last week that, together with other money raised, brings the project close to its goal of more than $1 million. "The planets may have aligned very nicely for us," said Dan Roberts, chairman of the Citizens for Rebuilding Wimer Bridge. "It puts us closer to being ready to go to construction." The historic bridge, which was the only one in the county that allowed vehicle traffic, collapsed on July 6, 2003, into Evans Creek because of rot and the stress of too many overloaded vehicles crossing the structure. County officials had been planning to repair the span. A Wimer man and his two grandsons who were on the bridge at the time were injured and pulled from the rubble by bystanders. A National Historic Landmark, the bridge was originally built in 1892, but was replaced in 1927. It is one of four covered bridges remaining in Jackson County. After it collapsed, local residents rallied to get the bridge rebuilt. They also wanted to make sure the new structure would support vehicle traffic because it offers a connection between East Evans Creek Road and Covered Bridge Road. The county will go to bid on the project this fall and construction should begin by early summer 2007, with completion scheduled for the following fall. The bridge is about a year behind schedule because of delays in securing the grant. Roberts' group has raised more than $150,000 from sales of T-shirts, recipe books and calendars. They have even collected timber from property owners and sold it to local mills. Supporters have built a car-sized replica of the bridge that they use to sell concessions behind the Wimer Market. They've also created a Web site that has information about the efforts to rebuild the Wimer Bridge: " target="_blank">www.wimercoveredbridge.com. Despite the amount of money collected, Roberts said, "We're not going to let our fundraising efforts stop." County engineer Mike Kuntz said every dollar raised will help, particularly because rising fuel and material costs could add up to $200,000 more to the original estimate of $880,000 to rebuild the span. Kuntz said $890,000 has been raised through various government grants and funds, which includes $177,000 from the county and two federal grants financed by gas taxes. In addition to the $150,000 from the Wimer Bridge group, Kuntz said, "That really puts us right there. Depending on how high the bids go, we might have enough." Kuntz said the bridge design looks similar to the old span, but will have improved concrete approaches and use stronger Glu-Lam beams, which are created by gluing together small pieces of wood. "With proper maintenance it should be around for 100 years," he said. Because it's made of wood, the bridge will require more maintenance than concrete spans. The wood deck probably will have to be replaced in 20 to 25 years, said Kuntz. The new approaches to the bridge will be formed using rough sawn wood, so the impression of the wood will remain once the concrete is poured. Vehicles will be permitted to cross the new span, which will have a weight limit of 10 tons. Roberts said his group will host a "Taste of the Valley" event from 2 to 5:30 p.m. June 17 at the Laurel Hills Golf Course in Gold Hill to continue fundraising efforts. "We should have $180,000 by the end of summer," he said. If enough money is left over, Wimer residents want to improve Mae Ellis Park next to the bridge. "We're tickled and thrilled that Jackson County has made this such a success," said Roberts. Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy