PULLMAN, WA – City of Pullman engineers are waiting to assess the downtown pedestrian bridge after it floated of its footings during Sunday’s flood.

The bridge is designed to float when the South Fork of the Palouse River gets high enough.  The design includes a hinge on the North bank to allow the span to float and swing to the riverside.  The feature is intended to keep the bridge from holding up high floodwater.  The design didn’t completely work on Sunday night when the foot bridge floated for the first time.  Instead of floating across to one side of the river the water didn’t get high enough and the bridge became lodged just off the footings.

City of Pullman Public Works Director Sean Wells says engineers need to inspect the span and abutments for damage.  There is a chance that the bridge might need to be replaced.  If the span passes inspection crews need to figure out how to place the bridge back on the abutments.  The bridge can’t be inspected until the river drops enough to conduct the work safely.  The Downtown Riverwalk pedestrian bridge at the Pine Street Plaza is closed.

The bridge was installed when the Riverwalk was developed 20 years ago.  Sunday’s flood was the highest for the South Fork of the Palouse River since 1997.