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By Lucas Walsh
Cheney Free Press 

Euclid bridge construction kicks off

 

Last updated 3/17/2023 at 10:31am



AIRWAY HEIGHTS – Demolition of the Euclid Road bridge, located near the intersection of North Lyons and Euclid Road, began at 11 a.m. March 3.

A new, modernized bridge will be constructed in its place, officials said. Construction will be finished in September.

The bridge itself, a primarily wooden design, is owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, and was constructed in 1980 after the original suffered catastrophic damage the year before.

Spokane County Commissioner Al French, Fairchild Air Force Base Lt. Col. Dawn Hilderbrand and Fire District No. 10 Chief Ken Johnson were in attendance at the construction “kickoff.”

French offered opening remarks.

He gave background on the bridge’s history, the difficulties imposed on local residents by the recent closure and the general plan for reopening.

Hilderbrand followed, saying Euclid bridge is a critical “transportation link” for staff and students of the personnel recovery and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape programs.


Hilderbrand closed by thanking the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway company for taking steps to start this project.

Johnson said the bridge shutdown required the development of alternate routes to reach residents in need of services and that a new bridge will alleviate certain of those logistics pressures.

County engineer Matt Zarecor gave a brief overview of the construction plan and answered questions concerning the approach to the bridge and the architectural solutions to certain long-standing problems with the original design.


French closed the presentation by announcing the official start of the project, at which time a bulldozer was started and began moving material on site.

“We plan to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony in September, when the project is finished,” county Public Works spokeswoman Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter said.

Author Bio

Lucas Walsh, Former managing editor

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Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.

 

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