City could build bridge

I just read the article in the June 14 edition of The Spokesman-Review that the city is seeking more input on the proposed Riverpoint bridge.

I cannot accept, as a retired former city employee of the public works department, that the city doesn’t have the engineering capability to plan and design a pedestrian and bicycle bridge from within city resources. The mere fact that they apparently find it necessary to farm such a project out to a firm in Seattle implies that you don’t recognize and employ the talent, capabilities and potential of an organization that the good people of Spokane have elected you to manage.

During my time with the city, as the material engineer and radiation safety officer, faced with the same task, I could have selected at least half a dozen inspectors from the engineering department capable of designing a pedestrian bridge, let alone the talents of the excellent engineers in the department on the third floor. Have things gone downhill that badly since I left?

Faced with those kind of choices, I certainly hope you don’t have any input into the city’s retirement fund.

Robert Costigan

Spirit Lake, Idaho