A meeting on the future of Burlington's Cascade Bridge is on track for this fall.
The city council has reached a consensus to have the city participate in a two-day summit regarding the bridge, which has been closed to vehicular traffic for several years.
(We are) trying to bring a lot of voices from different perspectives and from different levels of authority
The meeting will include architects, consultants, engineers and state leaders in transportation and historic preservation.
At issue is whether the bridge can be restored or if reconstruction is needed. The state is pushing the city to take a closer look at restoration.
City Manager Jim Ferneau says the meeting is tentatively scheduled for late October or early November, so the leaves on the nearby trees are gone, exposing more of the bridge.
"(We are) trying to bring a lot of voices from different perspectives and from different levels of authority," says Ferneau, "so that we can make sure that everyone is on the same page."
Ferneau says Cascade Bridge supporters are raising the $12,000 needed to cover the cost of the meeting.
He says no matter the results of the meeting, it could be several years before work gets underway.
The city council is cutting money from the current budget for Cascade Bridge after residents voted down a pair of utility franchise fees.
