Bridge becomes roadblock

Residents on the west side of Loon Lake were surprised to see the bridge that carries Larson Beach Road over BNSF railroad tracks posted with weight restrictions.

The signs noting the bridge’s limited capacity to three tons appeared a few weeks back, stopping firetrucks and other emergency vehicles from reaching a community of about 150 people.

“There was no word or explanation to us who live here,” said Red Crass, who lives on South Loon Lake Road, which is connected to Larson Beach Road. “We are being told that firetrucks and snowplows can’t use the bridge any longer.”

That’s correct, said Stevens County Fire District No. 1 Chief Mark A. Beck, whose agency provides emergency services to the west side of Loon Lake.

“The lightest emergency vehicle we have weighs more than 4 tons,” said Beck, adding that he has sent a letter to Stevens County asking about the matter. “State law makes it unlawful for us to pass that sign. We’d have to go (north) around the lake, and that would add between 12 and 20 minutes to our response time, depending on the specific address.”

He said residents tell him logging and cement trucks still drive across the bridge.

“The restrictions are new and they are not posted when you turn off Highway 395,” Beck said. “So the trucks don’t see them until they come over the hill, and there’s no place for them to turn around there.”

The wooden trestle bridge at the south end of Loon Lake, immediately off Highway 395, provides access to Lake Shore Homes, Silver Beach and other communities.

The signs were posted by BNSF Railway Co. after a bridge inspection about a month ago. Part of a support column was replaced, and the repaired area was secured with a metal brace.

“We were concerned about the weight limit, and we took the safe course of action,” said Gus Melonas, BNSF director of public affairs. “We set a 3-ton temporary weight limit on the bridge until the state can inspect it. The state will establish the new weight limit.”

By state law, maintaining railroad bridges is a joint responsibility between the county and the railroad that owns the tracks. In this case, BNSF is responsible for the structural soundness and maintenance of the bridge, but Stevens County is responsible for maintaining the road and taking care of traffic issues – such as snow removal – on the bridge.

Melonas said he doesn’t know if BNSF contacted the county before posting the signs. Jim Whitbread, Stevens County engineer and public works director, said he didn’t hear a thing from BNSF.

“The first indication we got about the weight restrictions was from an irate citizen,” said Whitbread. “As far as we were concerned, there was nothing wrong with the bridge.”

Snowplows are too heavy to cross the bridge now, Whitbread said.

“We are aggressively pursuing a resolution of this matter,” he said, adding that the county intends to demonstrate to BNSF that the bridge can carry more than three tons.

“We have retained a structural engineer who’s going to examine the bridge,” Whitbread said. “But first we need to locate some special equipment that will let us inspect the bottom of the bridge.”

In the meantime, Loon Lake residents such as Crass can only hope they won’t need a firetruck in a hurry.

“I just want someone to admit who is responsible for the bridge,” Crass said. ‘They all know that 150 people live here – they must know that.”