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Resident asks county to release Swallow Falls 60% bridge design; staff says DNR is reviewing plans
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Summary
A resident asked the Garrett County commissioners about the status of a 60% design for the Swallow Falls bridge and whether the county would release design records; county staff said the Department of Natural Resources is reviewing the package and did not provide a release date.
A Garrett County resident raised questions during public comment on Nov. 19 about the status and public availability of the 60% design package for the Swallow Falls bridge project and about the county’s withdrawal of support for the Youghiogheny River Advisory Board.
The resident asked whether the 60% design was delayed by the county, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) or an appellate court case, and requested release of original design work and engineering studies submitted for the 2010 bridge. The resident also asked whether the county would support legislation to institutionalize the Youghiogheny River Advisory Board within DNR to preserve public access to records.
Mr. Nall, the county staff member who has been the point person on the bridge, said the 60% design is currently with DNR and that DNR is reviewing it; he said the county had not been given a timeline for release. On abutment work, Nall said an inspection of the existing temporary bridge supports showed they are not sufficient to support a new bridge, and that additional abutments behind the existing supports would be required; that option was examined and turned down as viable. Nall offered to locate the design materials and provide them to the resident or advise on how to submit a public‑information act request if needed.
The resident asked whether the county would back an amendment to institutionalize the advisory board; a commissioner replied that he had received the email request only recently and had not yet discussed it with the delegation, fellow commissioners or DNR and would not comment on behalf of the board without reviewing specifics.
Why it matters: the design status affects schedule and permitting for a bridge that involves state agency review; questions about advisory‑board status and records access affect transparency and public oversight of river and recreation management.
What the county committed to: county staff offered to locate and share available design documents or advise on a Public Information Act request, and to follow up on the advisory‑board inquiry after internal review. No formal action was taken at the Nov. 19 meeting.
