$2.8 MILLION BRIDGE STUDY OK'D:HEALDSBURG COUNCIL VOTES 5-0 ON BID TO HELP DETERMINE WHETHER TO SAVE HISTORIC SPAN

The fate of Healdsburg's historic Russian River bridge is getting closer to being decided.

But whether the 89-year-old span can be saved probably will not be known until late July at the earliest.

The City Council on Monday approved a $2.8 million contract for environmental studies and engineering design intended to determine once and for all whether the bridge can be rehabilitated, or needs replacement.

"Hopefully the preferred alternative will jump out at us and be clear as a bell," said Mayor Jim Wood.

Wood and his colleagues voted 5-0 to award the contract to Omni Means Ltd., a transportation and civil engineering firm that won out over nine other companies that submitted bids to study the span and identify a solution.

While council members said they were open to various options, there was strong sentiment to keep the bridge.

"Bigger, wider and faster doesn't mean it's better. I'd like to see the bridge preserved," said Councilman Mike McGuire.

The structural integrity of the 1921 bridge has been a topic of debate on and off for years in Healdsburg. Known as the Healdsburg Avenue, or Memorial Beach Bridge, it sits at the southern entrance to town and was once the main gateway to Healdsburg before the freeway was built to the west.

Mel Amato, a Healdsburg electrical engineer who has studied the span and argued that it is structurally sound, said the bridge is one of only 13 active "Pennsylvania Petit" pin connected steel truss bridges in the country.

Previous studies have only fueled the controversy over the bridge's stability.

A 1979 Caltrans report gave it a poor grade, and rated it one of the worst in the county. But the prognosis was revised and improved significantly a couple years ago when it was discovered Caltrans made a calculation error about the location of the pins on some of the truss connections.

Caltrans determined the bridge is able to carry heavier loads than posted, even including three-axle trucks, or semi trucks and trailers.

Public Works Director Mike Kirns said the bridge is too narrow to handle such traffic. In addition, he said it does not meet earthquake safety standards and there are questions about its ability to withstand flood waters that could undermine its pile supports.

Close to 90 percent of the $2.8 million contract that was awarded Monday is expected to come from state and federal grants.

But some speakers wondered why the City Council was spending so much for another study and suggested it simply go ahead with rehabilitating the structure.

"Everybody wants to keep the bridge. Why not just fix it?" said lifelong Healdsburg resident John Soracco. "If someone doesn't think it's safe, they can go on Highway 101."

Council members in essence said that by hiring Omni Means, they can get all the information to make the right decision, as well as follow all the mandated environmental regulations.

Under the terms of the agreement Omni's work would be done and authorized in three phases.

The $2.8 million contract would have an initial $779,000 phase to develop alternatives, preliminary engineering and environmental studies.

Caltrans has already authorized federal funds to cover that amount.

That phase is expected to be complete by August, and through a series of community meetings and other criteria recommend if the bridge be restored or replaced.

Alternatives include rehabilitation; replacing the bridge with a similar steel truss system; and replacing the bridge with a cast-in-place, pre-stressed box girder concrete structure.

A second $591,000 phase to ensure the work will meet state and federal environmental guidelines is projected to be complete by April 2011.

The last phase costing $1.4 million would be to develop plans, specifications and estimates for construction by March 2012.

City officials chose Omni Means Ltd. because they said the company takes a "blank slate" approach with no preconceived solution or favored alternative for the bridge.

They said the Roseville-based firm is experienced with both steel truss and concrete bridges and is a recognized specialist in river hydrology and scour evaluations.

The company also has a reputation for gaining consensus with diverse community groups and acknowledging that "the process" is as important as the technical and environmental reviews, according to Public Works Director Kirn.

Omni also has expertise to navigate the state and federal regulatory process and can assist the city in gaining additional funds for the project.

But even after an alternative is identified, Mayor Wood said the reality could end up being, "we don't have the money to build the bridge."

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 521-5214 or clarkmason@pressdemocrat.com.