The county has nearly completed construction of a bridge on Kendale Road, but residents are upset about the look of the final product.
The bridge is over the Ken Branch, which flows into Cabin John Creek. The old bridge washed out several times per year, so the county installed a new bridge in order to avoid the expense of frequent repairs.
In installing the new bridge, the county also installed a chain-link fence on either side of the bridge. Sue Keil, an abutting property owner, thought the fence was an eyesore which did not fit with the character of the neighborhood, or the road.
The fence was installed as a safety measure.
“It’s kind of a standard procedure to put up a fence,” said Tom Pogue, spokesperson for the Department of Public Works and Transportation.
The fence is designed to protect pedestrians from the approximately 4-foot drop off the side of the bridge, said Pogue.
However, the fence is likely to go, Pogue said.
“We are looking at a replacement for that.” Pogue said the county is exploring putting in a handrail which would be more visually attractive, but still provide a measure of safety. “We do try to respond to each project individually,” Pogue said. He expects the bridge, which has been closed since last summer, to re-open this week. The total cost for the new bridge was $330,000, said Pogue.