Walkway project takes first step

From atop of the newly-set pedestrian bridge, a beaming Chuck Bartlett looked upstream towards the autumn-kissed aspens resting on the side of the riverbank.

"I mean, look at that view ... it's incredible," he said.

It was a project which took four years, but the long-anticipated Veterans Island to the hot springs pedestrian walkway project has finally seen its first major step with the setting of the bridge across the North Platte River.

Bartlett saw the setting of the bridge as a tremendous feat. The project, which originally received funding from a Transportation Enhancement Activities Local (TEAL) grant in 2009, had been constantly met with setbacks. Flooding on the North Platte River had stunted the development of the project in three of the last four years. Additionally, the project received criticism from town residents who often referred to it as "the bridge to nowhere".

But as town's engineer on the project, Bartlett had a different name for the project.

"Really, the project from hell is going to be completed," Bartlett said while laughing.

While the setting of the bridge required patience from town crews and residents, the exceedingly complex procedure was completed with minimal setbacks.

The bridge arrived in two pieces in Saratoga on two semi-truck trailers on the evening of Oct. 8. Both pieces weighed a combined 58,000 pounds and spans 150 feet.

In order to set the bridge across the banks of the North Platte River, the town of Saratoga hired Mountain Crane, a crane operating company based out of Utah. The crane had just finished a project in Sinclair and was waiting to work on another project in Rawlins. After the Rawlins project had been delayed, Mountain Crane was available for the town of Saratoga's service.

The town of Saratoga was able to hire Mountain Crane for what Saratoga Mayor John Zeiger called a substantially low price of $32,000. Because the price came in so low, the town did not have to place the operation up for bid.

The original plan of the project was to have the bridge set by the evening of Oct. 9. However, transportation of the crane was delayed as the crane service had to wait on pilot cars to escort the cranes from Sinclair to Saratoga. The cranes arrived in Saratoga in the late afternoon of Oct. 9.

Two cranes were needed for the project - one small crane to put together the larger crane, and a larger crane to hoist the bridge across the river. The large crane was put together and set up on the island at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 9.

In the early morning of Oct. 10, semi-truck drivers carrying the bridge took the load across a shallow portion of the river to Veterans Island. Only one truck was temporarily stuck in the river, and was later helped out of the river with the help of Saratoga town crews.

Despite their long load, the truck drivers successfully navigated the skate park and the trees on the island. Both pieces of the bridge were assembled by Saratoga town crews on the island, while Mountain Crane personnel prepared the bridge to be lifted across the river.

The preparation of the bridge took the better half of three hours, but the actual setting of the bridge took less than 10 minutes. The bridge was lifted across the river with the crane, and was bolted down by town of Saratoga crews. After the bridge was set, spectators who were stationed on the west side of the river applauded the flawlessly-executed setting of the bridge.

"It was a perfect fit, just like a glove," Zeiger said.

Zeiger, who has been mayor of Saratoga for 10 years, had taken much of the flak from residents about the pedestrian bridge project. With his loss in the primary in August, he said he was thrilled to be able to complete the project before his term was completed.

"It's unbelievable," he said after the bridge was set. "I was wondering if it was ever going to happen. I mean we had the goal there, but you wondered if everything was going to fit in to place."

"It was well worth the wait, I think the public is going to be pleased once they are able to use it," he added.

There is still work to be done on the project. There will be another small bridge which will span over Spring Creek from the hot pool to the inlet. Additionally, ramps will be constructed at the base of the bridge which will allow easy access for residents to cross. Both of the smaller projects will be completed by the town of Saratoga crews.

However, the hardest part of the project has been completed.

Chuck Bartlett said there are still several steps left to be completed in the project. But for the time being, he said he will take some time to enjoy the completion of the project during his well-needed hunting trip