ridecamp@endurance.net: "No Hands" Bridge UPDATE

"No Hands" Bridge UPDATE

Larry Suddjian (wstf@foothill.net)
Sun, 14 Sep 1997 10:15:17 -0700

Hello all interested in the status of the Mountain Quarries ("No-Hands")
Bridge over the Middle Fork of the American River near Auburn, CA.

During meeting of the Board of Governors of the Western States Trail
Foundation yesterday, I made the following report:

ITEM VII.B - Mountain Quarries ("No Hands") Bridge Update

Since the last BOG meeting held June 25, 1997, many things have happened
regarding our effort to "Save No Hands Bridge". The contract for design
of the stabilization and fix was awarded to T. Y. Lin International
during the week of July 21. Final design drawings and specifications
were handed over to the USBR on September 12 and I have for your review
a copy of the bidding documents. The pre-bid meeting will be conducted
at the Bridge within the week of September 15. Bids will be accepted on
September 22 with four bidders showing interest. The joint venture of
Joseph Kaplan + Power Engineering + Inshore Divers is one of the
proposed bidders. Award of the contract will probably take place on
September 23 ~ if the bid is within budget. I understand that three bid
items will be proposed: #1 will be Phase 1 completed by November 15 and
Phase 2 started spring of 1998 and completed before the WS100 Run on
June 26, 1998; #2 will be to start Phase 1 and 2 in spring of ‘98 after
water flows are down and all construction completed by the WS100 Run; #3
would be to have Phase 1 and Phase 2 completed by November 15, 1997.
Phase 1 is the stabilization with Phase 2 being the permanent fix.
Construction will take about 8 weeks and completion is required before
November 15, 1997. In previous communication with reliable sources I had
been informed that Congressman Doolittle has instructed the director of
the Western Region of USBR that the repairs MUST be made before the
start of the 1997-98 storm season. The threat of "El Nino" has everyone
worried. The only hopeful news related to a possible start date in
spring of ‘98 is that T. Y. Lin International has recalculated the
safety factor to be 1.3 to 1.6 which is a BIG improvement over the
initial factors discussed during the June 23rd meeting. T. Y. Lin feels
that the Bridge "could" survive another winter. Stay tuned for future
updates.

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