Path to footbridge resolution still unclear

Fox Point - Expert advice from another construction firm is anticipated next month on the aging 292-foot-long footbridge that has been found to have structural deficiencies.

At Tuesday's Village Board meeting, there were few updates on the long-running debate surrounding the venerable structure that connects Bridge and Barnet lanes on the village's east end.

The Boldt Company, an Appleton-based firm specializing in construction and consulting services, was awarded a $14,500 contract last month by the board and is expected to give a report on its recommendations in February.

Boldt's findings will be weighed by the board alongside opinions from structural design firm Ayres Associates and engineering firm Graef. Representatives from Ayres and Graef have recommended the aging footbridge be replaced - a maneuver that would require the removal of some of the towering trees adjacent to the structure.

Another expert opinion has come from an outside expert: Conor Nelan, an engineer with Fort Atkinson-based Cold Spring Design. Nelan, who said he believed the existing bridge could be repaired without removing trees, was hired by nearby residents Jack and Cissy Bryson and James and Mary Connelly.

During this week's discussion, resident Bob Cory suggested residents should have an opportunity to weigh in on the proposal by way of a referendum question.

"We have 6,600 residents in this community, many on fixed incomes, and maybe 40 or 50 people use (the footbridge)," Cory said. "It's a ravine. It's not the Grand Canyon. It's not a tourist attraction."

Village President Mike West said the board would consider Cory's suggestion.

"If the Village Board decides ... the Village Board can do that," West said. "We're not going to build a bridge tomorrow. That's pretty obvious."