Okay everyone, I am going to be blunt here. The Athabasca Bridge, that needs to be replaced.
Now, I have not been on the bridge myself all that much, maybe a couple of times. But that really scared me. The only reason my vehicle pretty much made it across is the simple fact that my vehicle is an F-150 4x4 truck. If my vehicle was smaller, it would be a death trap.
From what I've heard, this project has been on the back-burner for decades. I was at an Athabasca County council meeting July 10, and I heard them say that it has been delayed by another year. Instead of 2018, it will be 2019.
Now, I heard the reasons were that land negotiations with Alberta Transportation were still ongoing, which is fair. But honestly, they need to be done soon, because how long will the bridge last there? Honestly.
The bridge is made with a wooden surface. Eventually, wood rots, and then simply falls apart. In a recent letter from a resident to county council, a concerned citizen said he is worried about the increased hazard it presents to those who travel on it. And guess what, this person should be concerned.
When the wood finally does rot out, I fear that a vehicle will eventually fall through. And that would be a tragedy, especially to the owner of the said vehicle. I doubt very much that falling through a bridge is covered by an insurance company.
So what's the answer? GET IT DONE. That's right. Get that bridge replaced already. Before something major happens that could cost more money than simply replacing it would.
And, when the bridge gets replaced, use something other than wood to do it with. Metal and asphalt would do the trick quite nicely, just like with just about every other bridge I have ever driven across. The only time wood should be used is for walking bridges, not for driving ones. Like, come on. This is ridiculous.
Lets hope that when Alberta Transportation says it will go to tender in 2019, they mean it his time. No more delays can, or should, be tolerated anymore. This death trap's time is up.
Well, thanks for listening, or reading, I mean. See you next time. Ingat!
