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Hickory removing debris from collapsed bridge arches this weekend

It's still unclear what brought the 40-ton arches down. Highway 127 will be closed this weekend while crews remove the debris.

HICKORY, N.C. — Hickory city leaders are considering hiring outside attorneys for guidance following the collapse of two wooden arches on the City Walk pedestrian bridge last month. 

Hickory City Attorney John Crone told the Hickory Daily Record last week that "in all likelihood" the city would bring in outside counsel and that he was unaware of any lawsuits related to the incident, which was caught on camera. The arches, which were recently completed, collapsed during a thunderstorm in mid-February. 

Hickory Mayor Hank Guess said there's still no word on what caused the arches to collapse. The city announced Thursday that the arches will be removed this weekend. As a result, Highway 127, which runs under the Rudy Wright bridge, will be closed. 

Highway 127 will be closed from 6 p.m. on Friday, March 4, through 6 a.m. on Monday, March 7. Drivers will detour on Fourth Street NW/SW. 

Once the arches are removed, city officials said the bridge will be inspected by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Inspectors will also inspect the Main Avenue NE vehicle bridge. Once approved by inspectors, Main Avenue will reopen to traffic. The pedestrian bridge will remain closed until all necessary repairs are completed.

The City Walk connects Lenoir-Rhyne University to downtown Hickory. The arches were installed less than a year ago at a price tag of $752,743.66, which was part of a $14 million contract for Hickory's City Walk Project with a company called Neill Grading and Construction. 

Neil Grading and Construction told WCNC Charlotte that work on the arches was subcontracted to Oregon-based Western Wood Structures. Western Wood Structures did not respond to requests for comment. 

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