Temporary bridge along private Iron Station road taken down

IRON STATION, N.C. — Homeowners along a private road lost the temporary bridge connecting their homes to the rest of Iron Station.

The bridge along Amity Road in Lincoln County was washed out by the heavy rains Friday night. A bridge made of three metal planks was put in place, but was removed Tuesday morning.

People on one side of the creek told Channel 9 they feel like they have been abandoned by the state and the county.

The ruts are still visible in the dirt from the temporary bridge that the county had removed Tuesday afternoon.

The road they used for years is washed away.

It was a sad sight for people who live in the roughly 20 homes at the end of Amity Lane.

They considered the temporary bridge their life line to civilization.

"They have stranded us back here," said neighbor Doris Lowman.

A downpour Friday washed out the road to their homes.

The Forestry Service loaned the county planks to use as a temporary bridge.

With the bridge now removed, neighbor Debbie Whitley has to use her children's cart to get her groceries across the bridge to her home that is about a half a mile away.

"It can't get no worse than this," Whitley said.

She worries that fire, police and paramedics won't be able to get to people in an emergency.

"It's ridiculous. They are leaving us out here to die," Whitley said.

Channel 9 spoke with Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Summers by phone. 

He said the temporary bridge was not designed for cars and it is hazardous.

"It's awful easy to slide off into the creek with one of those things," Summers said.

He said the road is private so the state can't rebuild it.

The people who live here must do that, but the county is trying to find state grant money.

"We are working on some avenues that may bring some funding in to them, but we don't know how long it will take," Summers said.

Earlier Tuesday, the governor's office took interest in the situation.

A representative called to talk to local officials.  Then the governor's office decided not to get involved.

The neighbors in the area want them to reconsider.

"Come look at the hole, just look at it. Come look at the people back here that's stranded," Lowman said.

The pedestrian bridge will remain so that people can get to their homes.

Some residents are older with health problems.

They told Channel 9 there is no way they can walk more than a quarter mile to and from their cars every day.

An online effort has been launched to raise money to pay for the temporary bridge on YouCaring.com.

WSOC