NORTH COAST
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015
3A
Saving lives is top priority should bridges collapse
Tsunami threat
prompts bridge
replacement
By DANI PALMER
EO Media Group
CANNON BEACH —
Bent over maps during a work
session last week, Cannon
Beach Emergency Prepared-
ness Committee members and
Public Works Director Dan
Grassick considered the best
options for a safe crossing at
the north end of town in case
of an earthquake and tsunami.
Because of the likelihood
of a bridge collapse over Eco-
la Creek, the city’s evacuation
map guides residents and vis-
itors south, toward midtown.
This is a longer route that
could eat up valuable time,
committee
Vice-Chairman
Les Wierson said.
OBEC Consulting En-
gineers conducted a bridge
study in 2011, warning the Fir
Street bridge at Ecola Creek is
“vulnerable to failure” even
in a “relatively small earth-
quake” because of its age and
construction.
“Saving lives is my top
priority,” committee Chair-
woman Karolyn Adamson
said.
least 10-feet wide with 1,000
people crossing it.
Potential bond measure
Different options
The group studied options
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or building a pedestrian
bridge in the same location or
elsewhere.
Whatever the commit-
tee decides, Grassick said,
75-foot-deep pilings would
likely be needed because of
sand liquefaction during a
quake.
The committee focused on
the most affordable pedestri-
an alternatives, particularly a
bridge over Ecola Creek near
NeCus’ Park. The plan calls
for two separate bridges to
meet on a small island in the
creek, providing solid ground
to build on.
A second option at that loca-
tion would require more cost-
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down the creek, Grassick said.
Submitted Photo/Cannon Beach History Center
A bridge went out during the 1964 tsunami. Officials fear an earthquake or tsunami could
wreak havoc with the city’s current system.
The third pedestrian option
would lead people up Second
Street before hitting a yet-to-
be-built trail connecting to
U.S. Highway 101.
According to the 2011
study, replacement of the ex-
isting bridge would cost $4.8
million, while a 6-foot-wide
pedestrian bridge could cost
up to $1.6 million.
If Cannon Beach does
go with a pedestrian bridge,
Grassick said, options are
suspension or truss bridge
construction. The latter would
more likely survive, he added,
as cables can break with sus-
Coast Guard helps grounded vessel
The Daily Astorian
TOKELAND, Wash. —
U.S. Coast Guard crews aided
two mariners aboard a 41-foot
sailing vessel that ran aground
Wednesday morning at the
entrance to Willapa Bay near
Tokeland, Washington.
The vessel reportedly ex-
perienced electrical issues and
lost its GPS and radar while
sailing up the coast from Coos
Bay.
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watchstanders received a dis-
tress call around 6:07 a.m.
Wednesday from the owner of
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it had gone aground near the
Willapa Bay entrance.
An MH-60 Jayhawk he-
licopter from Air Station
Astoria and a 47-foot motor
lifeboat from Station Grays
Harbor, Washington, launched
in response.
Photo courtesy of Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Goodman
Petty Officer 1st Class Bradford Simmons, left, an aviation
survival technical from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria,
escorted two mariners to shore from their vessel after it
grounded near the entrance to Willapa Bay in Washington
state Wednesday.
The aircrew was unable
to hoist the two people on
board because of the vessel’s
position and unpredictable
motions. A rescue swimmer
was lowered onto the nearby
beach, where he escorted the
two mariners from the vessel
to the shore.
“As unstable conditions
grew, the crew of the sailing
vessel had the proper surviv-
al suits and life jackets to don
when it came time to abandon
ship,” said Senior Chief Petty
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Guard release Wednesday.
“The last place you want to be
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have the proper safety equip-
ment is in an emergency.”
The Coast Guard is con-
sulting with the owner to
determine the best course of
action regarding the ground-
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Class Amanda Norcross said
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the boat at the next high
tide, around 9 p.m. today. If
unable, she said, the Coast
Guard will have the fuel re-
moved from the vessel, as
there is inclement weather
approaching.
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The Coast Guard asks any-
from Astoria is also searching. miles northwest of Grays Har- one with information to call
The U.S. Coast Guard is
A Navy Lockheed P-3 bor, Washington, Oct. 15.
503-861-6211.
ORRNLQJ IRU D ¿VKHUPDQ DIWHU Orion from Naval Air Station
receiving a report from his Whidbey Island, Washing-
Astor Street Opry Company
wife Wednesday saying he ton, found a vessel matching
presents
was overdue from a weeklong the description 182 miles
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state.
Wednesday while conducting
The Coast Guard diverted radar searches.
the cutter Wahoo, an 87-foot
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coastal patrol boat homeport- Amanda
Norcross
said
ed in Port Angeles, Washing- Thursday morning the Alert
ton, and the cutter Alert from was still en route to the last
Astoria to search for his 59- known location of the vessel.
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The Daily Astorian
Residents offered the city feedback Wednesday on the
potential redevelopment of Heritage Square at a daylong
open house at the Fort George Brewery and Public House’s
Lovell Showroom. The displays included three concept de-
sign options for a mixed-use project with a new library and
worforce housing. City staff also heard concerns about the
existing library on 10th Street. “I think there’s some com-
monality,” Kevin Cronin, the city’s community development
director, said. “We don’t want any more vacant buildings in
downtown. So if we move the library, we need to keep that
old library building activated, somehow.”
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UNIONTOWN ASTORIA
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
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We would like to thank again, everyone who made this event possible.
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503-325-4477
pension bridges.
Wierson suggested taking
a closer look at Washington
County’s bridge standards,
because they are designed to
withstand earthquakes.
“The structural aspect is
big,” Grassick said. He added
the bridge would need to be at
An Oregon State Universi-
ty engineering professor made
computer models of potential
evacuation routes in the city in
2011, estimating at least 1,080
people would head toward the
bridge on a typical summer
day after an earthquake.
Grassick said there are a
number of ways to fund the
bridge, including grants such
as a predisaster mitigation
grant, sharing costs with the
Federal Emergency Manage-
ment Agency and a Connect
Oregon grant.
Committee
members
agreed they would seek a
bond measure if grants don’t
provide the money needed.
“To do this project, to get a
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tech study needs to be done,”
Grassick added.
The committee will have
to go through the City Coun-
cil before taking any further
steps. The topic could be re-
viewed this month.
Friday night, 7:00 pm
at the Hilltop Church
(A Church of the Nazarene)
Home owners: Mary Kinney Estate, Pope Home, Inman Home, House
Home, Bergerson Home, and Special Event at Brim’s Farm & Garden
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Service
Restaurants: Fulio’s, Baked Alaska, Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro,
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Florists: Bloomin Crazy Floral, Astoria Safeway Floral Dept and
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Program, Posters and Tickets: Buckelew Graphic Communications.
Photographs: Sarah von Colditz
A special thank you to all of the ALCP volunteers for the
support they have given to make this event happen.
We do it for the children and so do all of you!