A small stream such as this one may not seem like much of an obstacle to the casual observer, but a little local history can tell you that most streams can get very big when the weather gets really nasty.
All of these considerations must be satisfied before the first shovel can touch the banks of the stream. Debris can hang-up on a bridge, which can catch more debris and eventually dam up the stream, causing a great deal more damage than many people can imagine.Įventually you’ll even need to address the logistics involved with making something so large that it is structurally designed to handle the stresses of vehicle traffic year after year. A bridge that is built too low, or with a span too narrow, can cause a significant choke point during those winter storms or spring thaws that bring streams out of their banks. In the unlikely event that a government agency is not giving you specifications for elevation and span on your bridge project, make sure you are above the 100-year high water mark. I wouldn’t want it dammed up or contaminated and I certainly wouldn’t want to see his new bridge coming my way in the event of a record-breaking flood. In fact, I live downstream from the property, so my interest in protecting our stream was more than just a passing curiosity. The main components of Ford’s bridge includes concrete abutment, steel I-beams, pressure-treated 4×12 stringers, pressure-treated 4×12 decking, pressure-treated 2×12 runners and pressure-treated 4×6 curbs.Īdmittedly, there are good reasons for many of these regulations. That additional length of the bridge had potential to add thousands to the cost of the bridge in engineering costs, added materials and stronger beams.
Just when Ford thought all the bases were covered, one of the agents decided that they would need a 20-foot bridge, which was a big change to what everyone had said all along would be a 15-foot bridge. Part of Ford’s permitting process was getting the map amended to reflect that his property was indeed not under water.Ī variety of agencies meant a variety of concerns ranging from impact on water quality, on fish migration, on flood mitigation and on vegetation frustration. loaded concrete truck for the construction of the house, so he made sure the other fire-related requirements were factored into the driveway plans as well.Īlso added to the government agencies was FEMA, which presented an inaccurate map showing that the entire property was in the flood plain. Ford already had plans to engineer the bridge to handle a 75,000-lb. The local Fire District also got involved by requiring that the bridge hold a loaded fire truck (weighing 50,000 lbs.), that the approach angles to the bridge be within specifications, and that a turnaround was provided on the other side of the bridge. He had to certify a base flood elevation and hire an engineer to draw up the bridge plans as required by the County. Jon had to file a riparian landscape plan, file an application with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, deal with an agency called the National Marine Fisheries Service, submit a fish passage plan, get the approval of the Department of Forestry, and deal with the County Planning and Development Department. There are agencies that regulate flood control, water quality, fish habitat, etc., and each one of these agency’s regulations must be satisfied before the project can proceed. It doesn’t have to be a significant river for several governing bodies to claim control over the rights to build any kind of structure near the waterway. Most bridge builds require considerable planning, especially when it is located over a waterway that is under the jurisdiction of several different government agencies. Jon Ford had plans to build a new bridge along with building a new house on his property, but plans for the bridge were made top priority when a wayward truck carried too much weight over the old bridge and it collapsed.
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