Letter to the Grand County Council

May 21st, 2008

Dear Chairman Ciarus:

RE: Restoring the Old Dewey Bridge

John Njord received your letter requesting assistance and he asked me to respond to your request. First May I say what a sad loss for the citizens of Utah and all who used the bridge. From the grand jubilee dedication on April 15th 1916 to the day of the fire, the bridge has been a historic landmark in Grand County's history. It is hard to imagine coming through the canyon and not see it sitting there in full view.

From information obtained from the Bridge Operations, unit the original inspection folder was transmitted to Rachel Ellison of Grand County at the county courthouse sometime after July 1985. A few reports were copied and put into a secondary folder to retain some history for our records. Within the original folder would be set of blue prints for the bridge. Although hard to read, I have enclosed a copy of the microfilmed plans. It was designed by the Midland Bridge Co of Kansas City Missouri with a total length of 510 feet and a clear span of 498 feet. The bridge was mad of tungsten steel with timber decking and handrail; and concrete footings. Seven- 1.25 inch cables supported the structure on either side.

The secondary folder shows you were faxed a copy of the 1989 resolution to relinquish the Old Dewey Bridge to Grand County on April 7th. We have a great history of helping cities and counties during emergencies. Unfortunately we don not have the manpower and resources to take the lead on the effort to restore the bridge. We are happy to assist you in providing a listing of UDOT approved design consultants and bridge contractors; and reviewing design plans. We wish you luck in your grand endeavor.

Sincerly
Jim McMinimee, P.E.
UDOT Project Development Director

While this does indicate that UDOT cannot take the lead in this project it does promise their support of the County and private citizens effort to rebuild the bridge.

Misprint

The Article published in this weeks Moab Times Independent indicated that the Grand County Historical Preservation commission had attained the help of D&D Engineering of Grand Junction. The actual company is DGP Consulting of Grand Junction. We apologize for the error.

Dewey Bridge

Built in 1916 the Dewey Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in Utah. Located approximately 30 miles northwest of Moab the 500 foot span at the time of it's construction was the second longest span west of the Mississippi river.

The bridge served as the only crossing of the Colorado River for route 128 until 1988 when a new bridge was built. In 2000 the Dewey Bridge was refurbished by the Grand County Historical Preservation Commission and became part of the Kokopelli bike trail. The bridge was designated a historic structure by the National Register of Historic Places in 1984

April 6th 2008 a brush fire ignited the aging timbers of the quickly burning the whitewashed deck. Within hours all that was left of the historical structure were the support towers and cables.

The construction on the Dewey Bridge was begun in November 1915 when two Grand County Commissioners, Birten Allred and G.A. Harris Spearheaded the effort to have a bridge built to serve the upper sector of the county. The Ferry which was being used at the time, was dangerous, unreliable and prone to vanish down river during periods of high water.

The contract for the bridge was awarded to the Midland Bridge Company of Kansas City, Missouri, and was completed in five months. The official dedication ceremony took place on April 15th, 1916.

The narrow wooden structure was supported by steel towers which held in place the titanium alloy cables that attached to the deck. The structure had a tendency to sway lightly in the river winds. The deck was a little higher in the middle so a car driving across would have to be careful as drivers from the other side could not see oncoming traffic. Many drivers found themselves partway across the bridge only to have to reverse back down the bridge to let another driver across.

The eight foot wide bridge continued to serve citizens for 72 years until it was closed to traffic. With no money to demolish the structure and so it remained abandoned until 1997. County administrator Earl Sires that year applied to the State trails and Parks for a $25,000 grant. The grant required the county raise matching funds bringing the total to $50,000. The county though did not have the funds in it's budget to match the grant. It was the kindness of James L. Stoltzfus that provide over twelve thousand dollars towards the county match. He challenged the Grand County Historical Preservation Commission to raise the remaining funds. By 1999 the funds had been raised an repairs on the bridge began.

By 2000 the refurbishment was done the bridge stood clean and white against the red rocks and the blue sky.

The tragedy that had its roots some seventy years earlier with the introduction of the tamarisk plant. An ornamental imported to the United States from the Mediterranean the tamarisk spread up the rivers cloaking the banks of the Colorado and other western rivers. An aggressive plant the tamarisk quickly overtook native species and became a dominate force on the river.

Around the Dewey Bridge tamarisk grew quite thickly. Periodically Boy Scout troups, church youth Groups, and other civic clubs would clear the brush away from the bridge. However for several years this had not been done.

Recent activities to tame the tamarisk population had resulted in numerous dead plants throughout the river area. Systematic removal had began along the river but the plants surrounding the Dewey Bridge had not been removed. When a fire at a near by campsite got out of control the river winds carried the flames up river towards the bridge. The dead foliage ignited quickly and drew the flame onto the bridge where the creosote covered wood ignited.

By the time crews arrived to fight the blaze the bridge was beyond saving. All that remained were the few charred boards and the metal support structure.

The tragedy of the Dewey Bridge's destruction deeply grieves the people of Moab and Grand County. The ghostly skeleton reminds us of how fragile the past can be and why we must endeavor to protect and preserve our history.

Dewey Bridge Fund

On April 15, 2008 the Grand County Council authorized the Grand County Historic Preservation Commission to organize and raise funds to conduct a study regarding the restoration of the Dewey Bridge, partially destroyed in a fire. The study will examine the integrity of the remaining steel structure and cost estimates to reconstruct Dewey Bridge.

Tax deductible donations to fund this effort may be made payable to Grand County. Please mail or turn in donations to:

Diana Carroll, Grand County Clerk/Auditor
Attention: Dewey Bridge
125 East Center Street
Moab, UT 84532