Bridges Offer Avenue for Increased Access to Rivers and Streams
A coalition of conservation, fishing and boating groups in the Chesapeake watershed have called upon the region's Governors to provide public access to rivers and streams whenever bridges are built or re-built.
In a letter to the Governors signed by the Chesapeake Conservancy, the American Canoe Association, American Sportfishing Association, American Whitewater, and Trout Unlimited, the Coalition noted that recreational access to these waterways could be created relatively quickly, at little or no cost and would provide substantial benefits to the economy, roadway and waterway safety and public health.
Bridge construction requires staging areas and parking spots next to the construction. These facilities are often removed once the bridge is built, but could inexpensively be included as permanent amenities in project design and construction and left to provide public access to the water.
"As a kayaker, fisherman and outdoorsman, I know first-hand the tremendous need and great demand for improved recreational access to our region's waterways," said Charlie Stek, Chairman of the Chesapeake Conservancy. "Today access to the waters of the Bay and its rivers remains limited to less than 2 percent of the watershed's 11,600 mile tidal shoreline. Meanwhile, participation in fishing, canoeing, kayaking and other recreational activities continues to grow," Stek said.
He noted that according to the Outdoor Industry Association, more than 50 million people each year take to the nation's waterways in non-motorized watercraft such as canoes and kayaks. Likewise, one out of every 10 Americans - some 31 million people -- has a fishing license.
Currently, most bridges in the watershed are designed and built in ways that limit access rather than enable it. They lack pull-off areas and parking and often have high guardrails make getting to the water difficult.
The Conservancy and the other organizations are working with the U.S. Department of Transportation and members of the U.S. Congress to amend the federal Surface Transportation Act to authorize waterway access accommodations at bridge crossings, where appropriate and safe. However, states can do this without federal action, and some already are
California has adopted a code that requires consideration of, and reports on, the feasibility of providing a means of public access to a navigable river for public recreational purposes before building any bridge. Both Tennessee's and North Carolina's departments of transportation and of natural resource work together to improve waterway access at bridges.
States in the Chesapeake watershed could do likewise, the Conservancy said. Among other things, it urged the Governors to inventory all the bridges crossing navigable and fishable rivers and streams where waterway access could be provided reasonably and safely, and review all bridge construction and reconstruction projects currently in the planning and design process to ensure that waterway access is incorporated into planned construction or reconstruction.
The Conservancy said the effort would not only increase waterway access for paddlers and fishermen. It could also improve roadway design and safety, more outdoor recreation, and economic benefits.
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