Carver Trestle

[wastewaterguru]

Latest update from my contact at the City of Carver......

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· On May 3, 2011, the Carver County Board approved the purchase and donation agreement with UP. This is a major milestone for the project following 3 years of process and negotiations. This took assistance and great patience from many people, so thanks to all involved!

· The agreement has been sent to UP for their execution which is expected any day now.

· Title Mark will assist with the closing which needs to occur within 75 days after UP has signed the agreement. We anticipate the closing to occur in mid July. $100,000 will be put into an escrow account for UP following their execution of the agreement.

· UP will be appraising the property and has 45 days after they execute the agreement to provide the legal descriptions for the property. The property will be transferred to Carver County by Quit Claim Deed.

· The Title Report is being prepared and will be finalized soon. This must be finalized within 45 days of UP executing the agreement. Upon final receipt of the title report the County has 10 days to approve or disapprove any defects in the title.

· UP has one year following the closing to remove the trackage, ties, signal equipment, the Minnesota River and Main Street Bridges. UP has full responsibility of these bridges even after closing. The trackage and ties from Carver to Chaska Athletic Park have to be removed by July 31.

· The City of Carver met with UP reps about their levee and the bridge removal process. It appears likely now that the river bridge will be removed from both sides of the river. The condition of the bridge likely prohibits the contractor from moving equipment over it so they will need to work from each side of the river. They are investigating building a roadway to access the south side. The deck and timber structure will be removed first, then the concrete piers will be blasted. The whole process could take a year to complete remove all debris from the site.

· On April 27, 2011, Met Council has approved the Trail Master Plan and AOF grant request.

· Met Council Environmental Services has prepared 80% sewer plans and submitted them to the County for review along with an easement exhibit. The goal is to begin construction of the sewer in September with completion may 2012.

· Next steps include:

o Deposit Escrow

o Finalize Title Report and Title Insurance.

o Get legals and appraisal from UP.

o Close on the property – Mid July.

o Prepare agreements with each agency (City of Carver, Chaska, Met Council Env Services, Met Council Parks. Scott County’s was done last year) for cost share and corridor rights. Marty has been in contact with agency representatives to begin this and some work has started. The plan is to have all agreements approved July 26th if possible so your continued assistance is appreciated.

o Monument the corridor. This will take many weeks after closing.

[pureinsanity]

Cool! Thanks for the update John!

[tj417]

Did they blast it yet?

[DTro]

Latest update is that they have all the rails removed, and have begun dismantling the wood sections. They have the pilings prepped for blasting, but they need to get everything removed first.

I've also heard that the gate is locked and might be for some time due to the demolition. Not sure about that though. I wouldn't make plans on using that launch or park unless you call the city first.

[wastewaterguru]

[DTro]

Well this thread is three years strong and I can as of yesterday the Carver bridge is all but a pile of rubble.

Not sure what the plan is for clean up, but it's a big mess. We passed through the actual old bridge passage yesterday, but it's a huge mess just downstream of it now. With the low water things are not moving at all.

Here's a pic taken by a fellow fisherman, and a vid I came across of the last pillar being blown.

[goblueM]

... i'm thinking as I watch that video, WHY is the guy standing so close! Then he almost gets hit, and seems surprised by that fact. Some people....

[Gordie]

It will be long rememberd but not missed much

[rushing]

Oh I think it will be missed somewhat...I don't think fishing in that stretch will ever be the same. That wood pile held back lot of water adding depth to that stretch.

[bigg edd]

Sad to see it gone. I walked across it many, many times as a kid on Thanksgiving day and Easter Sunday. Looking back I can't believe the adults were ok with all us kids walking across that thing,

[tj417]

Anybody ice fishin' down there?

[aanderud]

There were 2 cars there on saturday. I haven't checked since. Looks like a bit better ice than when I saw them out there 3 weeks ago or so. But after the warm weather this week, hard tellin what is down there.

[BEEFEATER]

Its more of a mess down there now then when the darn bridge was there. Found sum nice wood down there tho. Wished it get cleaned up a bit better. Burn the woodpile!!!!!

[DTro]

I've been through there a couple times this spring already. Navigating through the old bridge aint too bad, but good luck once you get upstream and around the next bend. For whatever reason the sand really piled up there and with the current water levels, its very skinny and if you take the wrong path, even with a jet, good luck.

[BEEFEATER]

wow, We could use sum rain then i spouse!

[Matt S.]

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[DTro]

That WAS NOT me.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

That WAS NOT me.

LOL I love the caps

[ARB]

I just had my first run in with this area last sunday and I must say it had a pretty high pucker factor in my 14' boat when I was going through the actual neck down area. With the flow being only 3000 I am wondering what that area is like with a typical flow of 8000?? I would imagine it is pretty wild?

[ARB]

oh and also, whoever lost their decoy glove into the Mn last duck season gave my buddy and I a pretty good scare. We had just gotten over our adrenaline rush of passing through the carver trestle area and were heading upstream when my buddy yells out, "holy **** its a hand." I looked back to see a big nasty decayed hand reach out of the murky water. I swung the boat around and headed over to shore as the hand kept bobbing up and down. As our hearts were darn near jumping out of our chests we were relieved to find a old moldy decoy glove stuck on a branch moving around in the water!!! Man was I grateful to find it was a glove! Everybody be safe out there.

[Alagnak]

oh and also, whoever lost their decoy glove into the Mn last duck season gave my buddy and I a pretty good scare. We had just gotten over our adrenaline rush of passing through the carver trestle area and were heading upstream when my buddy yells out, "holy **** its a hand." I looked back to see a big nasty decayed hand reach out of the murky water. I swung the boat around and headed over to shore as the hand kept bobbing up and down. As our hearts were darn near jumping out of our chests we were relieved to find a old moldy decoy glove stuck on a branch moving around in the water!!! Man was I grateful to find it was a glove! Everybody be safe out there.

Lol, that's great :-) I saw one dead body too many float by the boat in the last year! Tucker's :-(

[me_fathead]

Huh...mixed feelings about seeing that gone. Caught my biggest-ever flathead in the hole below the bridge. Caught my biggest-ever soft-shelled turtle not too far above...(released obviously).

Had my most 'oops, almost drowned' moment ever going through the only passable narrows one time too...don't miss that at all. The worst part about that is that once you've committed (and sometimes it's too late when you're still in the "let's see" stage) you've COMMITTED -- you HAVE to play it through and navigate like your life depends on it because it does.

The one time I brought a self-professed catfish expert down there, we got checked by the local CO, a Federal CO/Marshall, and someone from the Coast Guard -- all in one boat. Obviously they were looking for someone who was not a pair of doofuses fishing for catfish. I also remember that night because I caught the one and only sunfish I've ever caught in the MN river.

Then there were the times when the mayflies were hatching and the river would erupt in winged snow falling up -- only to be eaten by the massive flocks of Cedar Waxwings that hung out down there.

...or the time that the muck was so nasty at the launch that the trailer of a friend of mine got ripped apart on the way out. He actually stripped completely to walk out and feel through the muck for the missing parts.

Sorry if I've mentioned all of this before, but I have lots of very fond memories of that area.

[TruthWalleyes]

Amazig the senarios we get ourselves into on the river...This was one of those "Guess I'm Committed" moments and i was dumb enough to have camera in hand :

[DTro]

I took this picture today.

Quite a change from just a week ago and a big change from a year ago.

I came across this video that chronicles each pillar implosion.

[Grainbelter]

And to think I wanted I wanted to be a telephone repairman. I could have a been a bridge pier blower upper guy instead!

[BEEFEATER]

Just wondering is the carver acsess open? in decent shape? and could i make it upstream from there now that the river is up. Looking to take my 2 neices and nephew out. The river is the only place i know im garunteed to catch sumthin big. cuz if the fish aint biten ya can always catch carp. Thanks