By Theresa Goffredo
Herald Writer
EVERETT —City leaders hope that a proposed pedestrian bridge connecting Everett’s north end to Langus Riverfront Park will become a signature structure for the city, much like the Golden Gate is for San Francisco or the Brooklyn Bridge is for New York.
"We want it to be a point of note of the city, a landmark bridge with some sort of unique aspect that makes it something everybody is sure to see," said Brian Jones, the city’s engineering services manager.
But what the proposed bridge will actually look like remains to be seen.
The bridge is being proposed to span the Snohomish River from the city’s northeast end to the Langus Riverfront trail, which attracts bird watchers to Smith Island and runners, bikers and dog walkers to the park’s paved paths year-round.
Preliminary plans call for the bridge to be built adjacent to the intersection of East Marine View Drive and Summit Avenue, spanning the Snohomish River and with an eventual connection to its eastern banks at Langus park.
The bridge will have striking dimensions — estimated at 1,000 feet long, a little over two city blocks, and about 55 feet tall to accommodate boat traffic, said the city’s director of engineering, Dave Davis.
"You’ll be up there a ways with views of the Cascades and the city and the Snohomish River delta area," Davis said. "You aren’t going to have to be an athletic enthusiast. The interest can just be in experiencing the overcrossing."
The bridge will be built of some combination of concrete and steel. But whether it will be a suspension design or have unique lighting depends on how much money the city can raise to build it.
The city has set aside $450,000 to pay for the design and environmental permits. The Port of Everett contributed about $300,000 as part of its obligation to provide public access to the waterfront. The remaining $150,000 was from a federal transportation enhancement grant.
Currently, no money exists to build the bridge, which could cost as much as $5 million. The city’s challenge is to raise the money through a variety of public and private sources. If the money materializes, the bridge could be completed in the next four years, said the city’s senior engineer, Bill Saur.
"The impetus has been placed on a statement bridge or signature bridge," Saur said. "And the city would sell itself short by putting something across that’s just utilitarian and kind of ugly. And the city will find it won’t get much use out of it. If it’s a stunning structure, people will want to stop and look at it and avail themselves of it, and it will stand a much better chance of funding."
But Orlin Griggs of Marysville is worried that the wrong kind of people will avail themselves of the bridge —and Langus park.
The way Griggs figures it, Langus is one of the city’s secluded jewels, accessible only to those who drive. A pedestrian bridge might bring more transients into the park, Griggs fears.
"And that’s not the environment I want to be in," Griggs said. "I enjoy the nature, and I want to feel safe. The city will open this up to a can of worms."
At 68, Griggs has stayed trim by walking the paved five-mile loop at Langus every day for the past couple of years. Griggs was on the trail during a break in Friday’s weather, though he admitted he didn’t do the full five miles.
Though he lives in Marysville, Griggs hopes he gets to air his opposition to the bridge at public meetings. Besides attracting transients, the bridge is also a waste of money, Griggs said. City leaders should put their money to better use, such as keeping the Langus path clear of overgrowth, something that wasn’t done this year, he said.
The city is planning its first public meeting on the bridge in late summer.
Jones said he thinks Langus is an untapped amenity, and by building the bridge more residents and visitors can enjoy the nature and trails it has to offer.
"I would argue that the bridge will provide access for the more favorable parts of the populace," Jones said. "And I believe that’s still the majority."
You can call Herald Writer Theresa Goffredo at 425-339-3097
or send e-mail to goffredo@heraldnet.com.
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