"NO HANDS" BRIDGE UPDATE
May 25, 1996
Since the March 1, 1996 closure of "No Hands" Bridge across the American River, by the Auburn State Recreation Area (ASRA) and the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), various groups and persons have been working to save the bridge.
Signatures have been collected from 4,718 persons that have requested the Western States Trail be preserved and the bridge be repaired and kept open to the public in the meantime. Petitions continue to come in from all over the world and this process will continue until the bridge is re-opened.
Resolutions of support have been sent in from the Board of Supervisors of both Placer and El Dorado Counties. U. S. Senator Barbara Boxer has requested the USBR "...assess the cost of repairing the bridge so it could be reopened for public use."
Through a coordinated effort by the Western States Trail Foundation, Western States Endurance Run Foundation, Wendell and Inez Robie Foundation and Drucilla Mason Barner Foundation, a meeting was held on May 15 in the office of U. S. Representative John T. Doolittle. Attending were persons from the four foundations plus Neil Moore, Structural Engineer; Ron Lichau, Placer County District Three Supervisor; USBR; and a representative from Pacific Bell (telephone company). The proposed stabilization design as prepared by Neil Moore & Associates was discussed and well received by all. A contractors estimate and firm proposal for stabilization (based on Neil Moore design) was submitted to WSTF on May 21. Cost of work is proposed to be $180,000 and could be completed within six weeks after execution of a contract. The proposal was transmitted to all parties on May 23. A meeting is being organized to discuss the next step.
Various fund raisers have collected $20,746.62 in cash with about another $15,000 being pledged.
Alternate trails from the El Dorado side of the WST to the staging area in Auburn have been opened through a cooperative effort of USBR and ASRA. The trail goes through the "Pointed Rock" area near Cool, CA and travels down to the Auburn Dam construction site (near the diversion tunnel) and back up to the staging area at the Auburn Dam Overlook. The trail is safe and is now heavily used by equestrians and hikers. If the bridge is not reopened for the Western States Trail Ride ~ "The Tevis Cup 100 Miles One Day Ride", ALTERNATE TRAILS WILL BE OPEN AND THE RIDE WILL GO ON.
Everyone is encourage to keep writing your local elected officials, continue to circulate the petitions, and participate in the "Save No Hands Bridge" fundraisers until the bridge is repaired and reopened.
For more information contact the Western States Trail Foundation, 701 High Street, Suite 228C, Auburn, CA 95603. 916/823-7282, FAX: 916/823-7901; e-mail: 102437.3565@ComuServe.COM or TevisLAS@AOL.COM
Respectfully submitted,
Larry Suddjian, Vice President & Ride Director
WESTERN STATES TRAIL FOUNDATION