Homeowners hoping to find money to fix a collapsed bridge near Selma

Selma, Ore. — NBC5 News first told you about the bridge in the Selma area that collapsed in January stranding homeowners.

Two months later, the bridge has yet to be fixed.

Residents who live past the bridge either have to cross private property to get to their homes, or they have to walk their necessities across.

“During the flood the water was all the way to the bank… as you see that’s what washed the bank out,” Selma resident Norm Cegelnik said.

Cegelnik is one of 20 families stranded on the other side of a broken bridge on 3 Mill Road near Selma.

It washed away in early January and ever since they’ve been trying to get it fixed.

“They put in our deeds that we would maintain the road ourselves,” Cegelnik said.

First they went to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but recently found out they don’t qualify.

Then after realizing it would cost more for the county to build a new bridge, they’ve decided to take matters into their own hands.

“Well let’s do it the old-fashioned way like we always do things,” Cegelnik said.

The problem – they can’t lift the 60,000 pound rail car underneath.

One of the residents who is an engineer believes he’s found the solution using a licensed contractor, but it will cost around $20,000 dollars.

“All we need is the money now,” Cegelnik said.

Cegelnik and his neighbors are hoping members of the Rogue Valley will pitch in to help so emergency vehicles and logging trucks can safely make it back to them again.

“We can do it with our local folks who know us and who want to help us,” Cegelnik said.

If you’d like to help rebuild the bridge, you can donate to the “Three Mill Road Bridge Fund” at Washington Federal Bank or call 541-592-4663.

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