It's called a "rub rail." That thin yellow metal bumper at the bottom of the guardrail on the Hood River Toll Bridge was designed to keep vehicles from drifting over and scraping the railing.
However, with the bridge redecking project progressing, the rub rail is not being replaced.
The $7.5 million project, which is expected to be completed no later than June 2005, is replacing the driving surface of the entire length of the 0.9-mile bridge. But putting in a new tire bumper is not part of the deal.
According to Ed Hoyle, construction manager for HNTB Consultant Group of Bellevue, which engineered the bridge redecking, the rub rail isn't in the plan.
"There is a different design," Hoyle said. "The existing (new) design does not include a rub rail."
"Right now, at this stage, it won't be replaced because it won't meet existing federal standards," said Mike Doke, spokesperson for the Port of Hood River, which owns the bridge.
Complaints are already being raised about the absence of the lower "tire bumper."
"People are used to having that bump and guide along there, so if they drift over too far it nudges them back," said Robin Hale, owner of Bridge RV Park in White Salmon. "I'm glad the bumpers are there. I see a lot of damage, and there is nothing worse than RVers coming in here with their mirrors smashed or after being sideswiped on the bridge."
"People are used to riding the rub rail," Doke conceded. "If they continue to do that, they may find that their fenders create some sparks."
Hoyle explained that one reason for the lack of the railing was that it has not been properly tested with the type of deck panels that are being installed.
"If you put a rub rail in, that would not be the standard design. It has not been crash-tested," Hoyle said.
Doke said the bridge engineers and contractors are working with the federal government to see if the rub rail can be replaced without major testing.
"If we get an OK, it's possible we'll put the rail in before the project is done," Doke said. "Our engineers have identified the problem, and hopefully the federal government will recognize the need for a solution. It's up to the engineers and the contractors to work it out."
Doke added that it is extremely improbable that there would be a high speed crash on the bridge that could send vehicles over the side.
"With a narrow bridge and 25 mph speed limits, we think we can make a good argument," Doke explained.
Hale warned that travelers who end up with vehicle damage while crossing the bridge are less likely to come back to the area.
"It hurts business -- unless we want to start new businesses here repairing damage to cars," Hale said. "I've had a lot of motor homes come in here that hit their mirrors while crossing the bridge. This is a new twist, because now we'll be seeing rims and hubcaps of cars getting screwed up too. There is already too much damage to cars on their way across the bridge, and we all pay the price sooner or later on this deal."
Bingen Mayor Brian Prigel said he shared Hale's concerns, and raised another issue.
Prigel said he believed the design effectively narrowed the width of the bridge.
"I believe it's effectively making it narrower," explained Prigel. "Look at the transition of the guardrail from the old section to the new section, and you can see the difference."
"That is true," Hoyle responded. "The guardrail has moved in some, yes -- but not in as much as where the rub rail was before. There is actually a net gain in width, very minor. The actual width between the guardrails is greater than it was between the rub rails."
Prigel said he could see vehicle damage claims increasing because of the new guardrail design.
"Trucks used to ride the rub rail, and if you hit it gently, it would push you away. Now the first point of contact will be the steel guardrail at about 18 inches off the ground, when it used to be the tires about three inches off the ground," Prigel said. "It will cause much more minor damage to vehicles, because now the first point of contact is in a higher place. Instead of the tires, now it's on the body of the vehicle. I already see signs where the guardrail has been scraped."
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