County staff is working to find a tree contractor for the project who complies with the public sector procurement process. The County has received one bid from a high-end company for $49,500 for the tree removal. A second bid has come in lower. We hope to get additional bids. It is not known when the County will select the contractor and approves the contract, or how much it will finally cost. Tree contractors are all very busy now, so fitting into a contractor’s schedule in the near term will be a challenge. Only when the trees are gone can the bridge repair begin.
We will not know the final cost of the project until this is done, but we know that we will need more funding to cover the increased cost to remove the downed trees. We have discussed with the County the idea of cost-sharing on this project.
If we cannot remove the trees and save the bridge, the alternative is to build a new bridge and re-route the Trail. This would take several years, involve complex permitting, and be expensive. So the current plan is to remove the trees, in a cost-effective manner, and repair the bridge.
The dream is to have the project completed for the summer horse camping season, but the work and time required could prove to be more extensive.
Repairing the bridge and the trails will enable the equestrian community to enjoy riding from Jack Brook this summer. Without the bridge, the West Brook Trail is a dead end, cutting off nearly half the trails in the Park. |