Top cop: Take the bull by the horns and remove it

Last July, a headline and picture depicting the problem of kids jumping off the bridge. The bridge is gone, but the jumping goes on. (Lebanon Voice file image)

State Police Lt. Louis Nyitray, for one, says he has no interest in meeting with Lebanon and  Milton officials over concerns that kids are jumping off what’s left of the New  Bridge Road bridge, saying on Tuesday the powers that be “need to take the bull by the horns and remove it.”

Told that Lebanon selectmen were leery of the cost in removing the creosote-encased pilings, he asked “What is a life worth?”

The comments come as selectmen seek a meeting with Milton officials today at 6 p.m. at Everetts Cove Marina over safety concerns regarding the practice of local youth climbing the pilings and jumping from the bridge’s substructure near boaters passing through the channel between Milton and Northeast ponds.

Both Milton and Lebanon removed the bridge decking last fall, but the substructure on which the decking rested still remains.

Numerous reports of teenagers jumping off the substructure have been reported already this summer. Teens also have a penchant to jump off the bridge and near boaters.

Selectmen on Monday discussed possible signage for the pilings and fines that might be attached to substructure jumpers. They decided to set up a meeting with Milton officials to see if some uniformity in any effort might be achieved.

Last summer while the bridge was still open to pedestrians, the  owners of Everetts Cove Marina said many boaters were fearful of going beneath the bridge due to kids jumping, which hurt the marina’s ice cream sales.

Now it appears, even without the bridge intact, the practice is continuing.

Not a surprise to Nyitray.

“(The pilings) are a magnet,” he said. “They’re going to do this as long as they’re there and we (State Police) can’t be down there all the time.”