KALONA, Iowa (AP) - Preservationists who’ve spent years raising money to repair a 130-year-old bridge south of Kalona say they’re disappointed by a request to block public access to one side of the span.
Fans of the Bunker Mill Bridge have been raising funds to rebuild and reopen the span, which an arsonist torched in 2013, KCRG-TV (https://bit.ly/2k7r4zq ) reported.
John Canady, who owns the land on the bridge’s south side, requested Washington County close up to a half mile of a road giving public access to that area of the bridge, which spans the English River. His letter included photos of trash dumped on his property along the road and anecdotes about run-ins with trespassers.
The county engineer recommended it be closed.
Scott Allen, a member of the group Friends of Bunker Hill Bridge, said the road closure would defeat one of the prime uses of the restored bridge. Supporters hoped residents would be able to walk on and use for hiking, biking and horse-drawn vehicles.
There is another potential problem to keeping access to the south side of the bridge, according to Julie Bowers, executive director of Grinnell-based NSRGA/Working Bridge, which has collected the tax-free donations for the bridge’s repair.
She said an easement of land between the bridge and the road transferred back to the property owner when the county officially closed the bridge to motor traffic in 2004. That could mean the landowner could refuse access from the bridge to the county road no matter what the county decides.
Bridge supporters hope a large crowd attends a public hearing next month to oppose the plan.
KCRG-TV couldn’t reach Canady for comment.
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Information from: KCRG-TV, https://www.kcrg.com
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