Divers to inspect Old Trail Bridge Tuesday
By Kyra Hoggan
Divers from Castlegar’s Northern Underwater Systems will be inspecting the bridge piers underwater at the Old Trail Bridge tomorrow (Tuesday). Several boats and divers will be on site at 8 a.m. for approximately four hours, according to city engineering technician Warren Proulx.
“Even thought the bridge is closed, we’re still inspecting it because it has a sewer line on it,” he said.
“The bridge won’t fall over or anything – it’s a massive structure that’s tied to both shores,” Proulx said. “My main concern is that if the sewer line were to break, it would spilling sewage into the river.”
He said the bridge, which was closed a couple of years ago, is over 100 years old and is weakened and deteriorating, and with last year’s swift currents and unusually high water levels, it’s best to ensure there hasn’t been any new degradation of the piers.
“The water levels are low enough that we can send divers down to look, and I can compare what they see to previous videoed inspections,” he said. “We used to do this every year when the bridge was open, but we haven’t since it was closed.”
Current plans will see a new pipe bridge built in two years to accommodate the sewer line.
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