Sailors cite issues with planned footbridge

Post date: Jun 17, 2013 6:15:33 PM

By HARRY G. PERKINS, Hub Regional Correspondent | Posted: Monday, June 17, 2013 12:35

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LEXINGTON — The question of a location for a footbridge over the outlet canal on the east side of Johnson Lake was discussed again Friday.

The bridge’s location was announced at the May meeting of Johnson Lake Development and was the topic Friday at a meeting of more than a dozen sailors and members of the Johnson Lake Hike and Bike Committee.

Sailors are concerned over boat safety and accessibility to the ramp at the Captain’s Quarters. The bridge issue was under study by the hike-bike committee last winter. Tim Anderson, public relations adviser for Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, organized Friday’s meeting to hear the sailors’ concerns. CNPPID owns Johnson Lake. The bridge would connect the hike and bike trail north of the canal to the Roper Trail, south of the canal in the state park. Several sailors suggested locating the bridge nearby the vehicular bridge on Johnson Lake Drive.

The Eilers family, owners of Eilers Machine and Welding Co. of Lexington, has offered to donate the bridge and selected its proposed location across the outlet. Joann Wieland, president of Johnson Lake Development, suggested that a committee, including sailors, seek a meeting with the Eilers family to explain the sailors’ concerns. Committee member Ron Fowler said the objective of the Eilers family is to get the hike-bike trail completed as soon as possible to get pedestrians and bicyclists off Johnson Lake Drive. Cost of the bridge, related items and construction has been estimated at more than $400,000. It would be approximately 202 feet long by 10 feet wide and have a clearance of 18 feet above the canal when the lake is full, according to Fowler.

The bridge would cross the canal in an area between floating boat slips upstream from the bridge and a row of permanent, covered, motorboat stalls downstream from the bridge. The principal issues for sailors are safety and accessibility to the ramp at the Captain’s Quarters, which is downstream from the hike-bike bridge and has the lake’s only deep-water ramp where they can launch and load their boats. Wind and current in the canal are factors in docking at a boat slip.

Bruce Smith, a sailor, said it is necessary to approach a boat slip from downstream, using a motor to control the sailboat against the current in the outlet canal. “Trying to enter a boat slip from upstream with the current and possibly with the wind pushing you just does not work,” he said.

Other sailors agreed. Some are concerned that if their boat’s engine failed, the canal’s current would push their boat downstream and it would collide with the nearby hike-bike bridge. The sailors also explained that raising or lowering a mast while in the water is dangerous. Those functions should be done when the boat is on land, they said.

When the meeting ended, answers to the sailors’ concerns for the hike-bike committee and the sailors were not available. Anderson said he might have to take the matter back to CNPPID’s recreation committee. Such issues fall within the responsibilities of that committee.

Johnson Lake Development has its annual meeting Tuesday at the EMS Building where the hike-bike bridge could be discussed again.