The proposal was laid out for commissioners last week when Mayor Lestine Hutchens signed a letter responding to a mitigation agreement with the state agency.
"The Board has reviewed the proposed plan and accepts the proposed stairs and landscape as mitigation for the adverse effect to the historic district of removing the bridge, and we furthermore agree to the maintenance of the enhancement once complete," Hutchens letter says.
DOT drawings of the project show a new stairway and trees in the right of way currently occupied by the 80-year-old bridge as it crosses over Main Street and intersects Market Street.
The bridge now includes stairs that allow access to the bridge sidewalk and leads across the river. A second stair on the north side of Main Street gives access to Market Street sidewalks.
The plan shows a small plaza area on the Market Street level and stairs leading from there to sidewalks on Main Street.
Visible underneath the bridge now are cobble stones that once formed Gwyn Avenue before the days of the bridge. The town has asked that the cobblestones be preserved for historic significance. The DOT plans show a section of the stones below the new stairway.
According to the letter, "The Board understands the land will still belong to the N.C. Department of Transportation and a subsequent memorandum of agreement will be composed furthering clarifying the relationship of both parties to this effect. The Town of Elkin will purchase the lighting as denoted on the proposed plan for continuity with our existing lighting in downtown Elkin and will be reimbursed by N.C. DOT for the actual costs. In addition, the Town has spent a great deal of money on our benches in the downtown area and would like to utilize the same type and style of benches as is currently present. This could be accomplished in much the same manner as the lighting through a Town purchase and N.C. DOT reimbursement."
The letter asks for a meeting with DOT staff after some final design changes. "The Town of Elkin would like to sit down with N.C. DOT staff to review the final project plan prior to it going out to bid. As the responsible party following the completion of the project, we would like to feel comfortable with the plan we will be maintaining in the future.
"Furthermore, it would be helpful if N.C. DOT staff, at this meeting, could present a proposed schedule along with proposed costs to the town for the maintenance of this area for our future budgetary considerations.
We understand trees will need to be removed in and around Crater Park for the demolition project and request for N.C. DOT to replace these trees following the completion of the project."
Demolition of the bridge is scheduled to begin in summer of 2009. DOT expects it to be gone by the end of that year.
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