At the recessed Tusten Town Council meeting on Wednesday, March 25, the board voted in favor of the Chazen design plan for the Main Street overlook deck, with Councilman Ned Lang voting against it. The vote came after a lengthy discussion and presentation by Chazen’s vice president Joe Lanaro and Project Manager/Structural Engineer Mike Baron.

Their presentation included an in-depth slideshow detailing the deck’s design, concepts, materials, building techniques and more. The two men first described how the current deck is in poor condition, and that it has slid three inches. Other evidence of corrosion includes wood splintering and rust. Supervisor Carol Wingert said, “No matter what your opinion is about the deck, no one can deny that safety is the primary driver of the decision we finally make.”

Furthermore, the concrete footing is 54 inches and does not go into the bedrock. The Chazen design includes footings that will go into the bedrock, which is a majority of the cost.

They explained that the standard safety rating for a deck like this is 1.5, but currently the deck is at a 1. Their design in accordance with state law will be brought up to a 1.5 rating.

Chazen related that they did indeed do a geo-tech survey that included bedrock testing and slope stability. The design will use a “top-down” excavation method that is somewhat uncommon. It will also use soldier piles and a tie back wall.

The aesthetics were also discussed. The deck will have a “stone-appearing” design using pre-made concrete panels that look like stones. The design was also created to fit in with the future river walkway.

After their presentation, questions were raised such as problems that could arise from flooding, the necessity of the soldier pile wall, and the aesthetic design being called “pre-fab and suburban.” Lanaro and Baron addressed all the concerns.

Lang, as in previous meetings, again brought up his belief that the design does not need a new foundation and that the cost should be lowered.

Either way, the board agreed that the design will be put to public referendum. They also agreed the best time to do the construction would be spring 2016. Chazen said the construction process will take about three months, and that the town should expect lane restrictions on Main Street.

At the end of the meeting, Wingert asked Lanaro to make comments. He said, “I can say with confidence that this is a very solid design solution for your town. There was a lot of work put in, not only by our firm but by the design committee. We really think this is a community project that people care about and we are trying to do the right thing for them in the long run.”