Arches weighing 40 tons collapse along pedestrian walkway

HICKORY, N.C. (AP) — An investigation is underway in North Carolina after decorative wooden arches weighing 40 tons collapsed along a pedestrian walkway in the city of Hickory.

No one was hurt after the arches fell around midnight, although a nearby bridge was damaged, city officials told the Hickory Daily Record Friday morning. A possible cause has not been given.

The arches were erected less than a year ago. They had been a centerpiece of a pedestrian thoroughfare in downtown called City Walk. The project was funded through a bond referendum. The arches cost about $750,000 and made up about 5% of the $14.3 million City Walk contract.

Hickory Mayor Hank Guess said last spring that the arches would be “safe” and would “last forever.”

They mayor said Friday morning that he was grateful no one was hurt. Taxpayers will not bear any costs from the collapse because of the warranty on the arches, he said.

There had been some issues when the second arch was being installed last year after part of the wood had splintered, city officials said. It was fixed using a combination of adhesives, clamps and screws.

Guess told the newspaper Friday that the city “did everything according to the rules and according to the professionals, the architects, the engineers. I don’t know what else we could have done that we didn’t do.”