Crews started fixing the pedestrian bridge on Powell's multi-use path between Halverston and Rutherford roads on Thursday, Sept. 17, roughly three months after a fallen tree forced its closure.
The city determined the bridge can be repaired rather than fully replaced, according to a news release from the City of Powell. An engineering assessment and an evaluation by the city's insurance adjuster led to that decision. Insurance will cover the repair costs.
Workers are replacing damaged treads, handrails and structural framing underneath an approximately 20-foot section of the bridge. The bridge is expected to stay closed for about one more week, putting a likely reopening around Sept. 24.
The city said it will announce the official reopening date separately once work is finished.
How the closure started
Windstorms in June toppled trees onto the bridge, creating what the city called a safety hazard that required immediate closure. City crews removed debris from the site and secured the area, but the span has remained off-limits to foot and bike traffic since.
In a July 17 update, the city said it had filed an insurance claim for a full bridge replacement. At that point, staff were weighing whether temporary timber repairs could reopen the bridge while a permanent replacement was designed and built. Engineering staff were still assessing the structure's integrity.
The city ultimately determined the existing structure could be saved with targeted repairs instead. No specific dollar figure for the repair has been released, and neither city release named the shift from a replacement claim to a repair-only outcome. The Sept. 17 release noted only that the engineering and insurance reviews supported repair.
In its announcement, the city thanked residents for their patience during the damage assessment, engineering review and insurance process.
No named city official has commented publicly on the project. The repair is an administrative action covered by insurance, not a council vote.
Powell residents who rely on the Halverston-Rutherford path connection should watch the city's website for the reopening announcement.
