Palisades Bridge Funded

Earlier this year, a plan was unveiled to build a bridge downstream from the Palisades Dam so that traffic into the recreation area there did not have to cross the dam and problematic landslide areas beyond.  Now, The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a $2-million contract to Cannon Builders of Blackfoot, Idaho.  The 310 foot long three span bridge will be about 1,900 feet downstream of the dam. Construction will begin in October 2011 and completed around September 2012. Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor says construction on the piers and bridge deck will take place between November 2011 and March 2012, when stream flows and boater use are at their lowest. Reclamation’s Snake River Area Office had distributed a finding of no significant impact and final environmental assessment last March, identifying the bridge project as the preferred alternative both for safety of travel and the security of Palisades Dam.