After a brutal weekend of weather that featured several inches of rain and a few inches of snow in some areas, communities and cities are assessing the damage. And Bridgeport did not escape unscathed.

 

On Sunday, the Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Department became aware of a significant slip along a hillside about a foot from the main City Park walking trail. Along with the hillside collapsing in the area, part of the earth that has remained has dropped and a significant crevice has developed between it and what is still in place.

 

“This is the same location where the hillside above Simpson Creek slipped before; exactly the same location,” said Parks and Recreation Director. “When we fixed it public works brought in chunks of concrete and rock to help stabilize it and they did that by packing it into the hillside.”

The fix held strong, Burton said, for a year and a half. He said the precipitation over the last few days was too much. Now, the concrete blocks are laying along the bank of Simpson Creek.

 

The section of the City Park trail is roughly a quarter of a mile from the section where the trail starts at the Main Street Station. It’s also about a quarter of a mile from where you enter the trail heading toward Main Street Station at City Park.

 

“Right now, we’re not sure what the situation is,” said Burton. “CSX was here, I believe, this morning looking at the slip to determine if it’s on their property because the railroad track is right above this area and it could eventually impact it.

 

“As that’s being looked at, I’ve met with (City Engineer) Beth Fox about it,” Burton continued. “She is evaluating the situation and will give us recommendations.”

 

For now, the trail remains open. The black top part of the trail is not affected, said Burton. However, the slip is about a foot away.

 

“We’ll monitor it and if it encroaches on the trail anymore we’ll most likely have to shut it down. If we end up going that route, will probably block it off from the entrance at the Main Street Station and at the other at City Park where you head up the trail toward the downtown area,” said Burton.

 

Public works crews have the area right now blocked off. The area is surrounded with orange mesh barrier fence, but the trail is still open.

 

Editor's Note: Top two photos show Parks and Recreation Director Don Burton looking at the slip area, while at the bottom he talks with staff member Bill Lafferty about the situation.