The steel bridge to his rental house is back across Abernathy Creek, but tenant Alan Sanders says he’s still stranded. It could be five months before vehicles are allowed to drive across the span again, because the privately owned bridge still needs work.

Sanders says that leaves him with no way to move his truck and tools back and forth to jobs. The landlord/owner has told him he can drive out across the bridge once, but Sanders says he can’t risk leaving his truck unattended overnight on the other side.

“If I leave it sitting out there, some tweaker will come by in the middle of the night and steal stuff out. I know they will,” he said.

And Muriel Golden, who owns Sanders’ rental and lives next door to him, said Thursday she’s resigned herself to staying put at least for awhile.

“I haven’t been to town for two months,” said Golden, 96, who owns the bridge and property it accesses. “It’s been such a headache.”

The bridge is made from an old railroad car and wasn’t damaged structurally. But the creek washed away land on Sanders’ and Golden’s side, causing the end of the span to plunge into the water. Four households have no other way to drive in and out of the area, located about five miles west of Longview.

Both Golden and Sanders hope to apply for disaster assistance now that Cowlitz County has been added to the federal disaster declaration. But for now, they wait while the only way to cross the bridge is on foot. (Golden, who uses a walker, says she can’t even do that).

Golden’s daughter and son-in-law hired a large crane to pluck the bridge out of the creek at the end of January. The bridge was lengthened by welding on additional steel and set back in place on the riverbank. It’s safe enough to drive a car across in an emergency, but they don’t want to risk regular traffic going over it, said Ray Dobos, Golden’s son-in-law.

Sanders said he understands the liability concerns but says he’s sure the bridge is sound. For now, he and his girlfriend have to ferry supplies on foot, using a large wagon to carry items from her car parked on the county road to their home across the bridge.

Sanders, a handyman, is losing work and said he may have to move if the situation doesn’t improve.

“I’m thinking about, we’ll see,” he said. He’s lived there three years and likes the rural country setting, but he also needs to take jobs when they’re offered.

“I get calls from people, and I have to tell them I can’t because I can’t get out,” he said.

Dobos is talking with contractors about the final bridge repairs, which will involve securing and strengthening the span. He estimates it could cost $100,000 or more. Using the crane to pick the bridge up already cost $10,000. Golden and the Dobos hope FEMA will cover the repair costs but don’t know at this point.

Further complicating matters, they may need a state permit to work so close to the waterway. That could delay the project until summer, Dobos said.

“We don’t know right now. We’re still checking with contractors,” he said. “I’m hoping we can line something up in the next few weeks, but we’ll have to see.”

And that leaves Sanders much in the same position as just after the flood.

“We’ve got the bridge again, but we can’t use it,” he said.

Related articles:

Feds add Cowlitz County to disaster list

Stranded at Abernathy Creek  (Jan. 9)