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WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2013
Vol. CXXIV, No. 89
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Since 1890
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Pierce County Council committee OKs historic McMillin Bridge nomination Posted online Tues., May 7 Article By Todd Matthews, Editor Photos Courtesy Historic American Engineering Record / National Park Service A Pierce County Council committee Monday approved a recommendation to place the 79-year-old McMillin Bridge on the county's register of historic places. The concrete bridge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic places and owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), has a long history in Pierce County. Built in 1934, the bridge is part of State Route 162 that connects Orting to Sumner. WSDOT officials have said the bridge is functionally obsolete and a new bridge needs to be built. WSDOT plans to build a new, $2.6 million bridge just east of the McMillin Bridge then tear down the historic bridge. It has set aside $500,000 for the demolition. Historic preservationists throughout Washington State and beyond argue the bridge is historically significant because it was designed by Homer M. Hadley, whose work contributed to bridges spanning rivers, lakes and creeks throughout Washington State. Hadley pushed for the state to build a floating concrete bridge across Lake Washington. Today, the westbound span of the Interstate 90 floating bridge is officially named the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge. The McMillin Bridge's inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places is only an honorary designation with little regulatory bearing other than what is known as "Section 106" of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. In the case of the McMillin Bridge, Section 106 requires that a federal agency consult with a range of stakeholders to determine if demolishing the bridge will have any adverse effects. Because the McMillin Bridge crosses a body of water, the Puyallup River, the lead federal agency in this case is the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE). In the end, it's the Corps that will get to decide whether to issue the permit allowing the new bridge to be built and the old bridge to come down. The ACOE is expected to make a decision later this year. In February, Pierce County's Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission approved a nomination prepared by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation to place the bridge on the county's register of historic places. The nomination was then forwarded to Pierce County Council's Rules and Operations Committee. That committee made a do-pass recommendation Monday for the full Pierce County Council to approve a proposed ordinance to place the bridge on the county's register of historic places.
During the meeting this week, Pierce County Public Works Director Brian Ziegler noted WSDOT has asked the county if it is interested in taking ownership of the bridge and perhaps making it part of the Foothills Trail. "That comes with some obligations as an owner," Ziegler told the county council committee. "That comes with some costs. The county has responded to that [Department of Transportation] request that we are not in a position to accept ownership of the bridge because of those unknowns and because of those costs. The [Department of Transportation] has asked a second time if the bridge could be used as a parallel route for the Foothills Trail across the Puyallup River. We currently use the adjacent railroad bridge as the Puyallup crossing for the Foothills Trail. Discussions with the [Pierce County] Parks Department and with our executive have led us to the same conclusion that the county's expertise in this kind of bridge and understanding of its obligations is not sufficient that we would be good owners or stewards of the bridge." County Councilmember Dan Roach asked why WSDOT doesn't use the $500,000 it has set aside to demolish the bridge and, instead, build their new bridge and use the half-million dollars to maintain and preserve the McMillin Bridge. "Just the interest alone would be able to do that in perpetuity, it would seem," said Councilmember Roach. "We've had those conversations with [WSDOT]," Ziegler explained. "That isn't [WSDOT's] main mission, to maintain old structures that aren't used any-
The concrete McMillin Bridge has a long history in Pierce County. Built in 1934, it is an important section of State Route 162 that connects Orting to Sumner. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by Homer M. Hadley, whose work contributed to bridges spanning rivers, lakes and creeks throughout Washington State. The McMillin Bridge's concrete trusses are "monumental" in scale and allow pedestrians to walk through them. more. That is not a preferred option for [WSDOT]. It would certainly work from our perspective. Their desire is to maintain the bridges they use and either remove or donate the bridges they don't use." Yet, WSDOT owns and maintains Indian Timothy Memorial Bridge in Asotin County, Wash. The 90-year-old concrete bridge sits adjacent to U.S. Route 12 and was preserved after a new bridge was built. Ziegler added that WSDOT has offered Pierce County the $500,000 set aside for demolition if the county took ownership of the bridge. The county could use that money to maintain and preserve the bridge after it took ownership. But Ziegler again pointed to the county's lack of interest in owning and maintaining the bridge. "Why not contract with us?" asked Councilmember Roach. "[The Department CONTINUED of Transportation] keep[s] ON PAGE 2