found. Washington County was not receptive to the idea, however, feeling that the bridge was so old that there was no point putting any more money into it — if there was a need for a crossing in the area, they should look at building a new one. At that point, Roman owed $6500 in back taxes; with no prospect of being able to reopen, he stopped paying taxes altogether and the bridge was seized. Washington County was given management of the bridge in 2003. As of June 2006, Washington County, Minnesota, officials had contemplated the removal of the bridge. County engineer Don Theisen called the bridge "a rusty bucket of bolts" and said that it had been impeding barge traffic. Estimated removal costs were said to be $5 million. The eastern span was adjacent to a large Marathon Oil refinery in Saint Paul Park. Washington County turned the eastern approach road over to the refinery, and it was soon blocked off. With the local construction of the Wakota Bridge project in Saint Paul Park and Newport, Washington County Roads 22 and 38 had their paths changed and now no longer approach the bridge. The local roads have also been changed, and gates now block the former streets leading to the area. There was the possibility of using part of the western fixed span as a pedestrian outlook of the river as it is near a proposed park, and public tours of the western span were held on October 25, 2008, to bring awareness to this issue. The bridge was set for demolition in Winter 2009/2010. However, on November 24, 2008, all access to the bridge was prohibited, after a 200-foot segment of the eastern span collapsed onto the riverbank. Within two months of the collapse on the eastern span, a contractor was quickly found to demolish it. Demolition of the bridge began on March 3, 2009. As it had already collapsed and in order to end the refinery's hassle of dealing with trespassers, the eastern span was quickly removed. Following the demolition of the eastern span, the swing span of the bridge was briefly closed for a few days, marking the first time in 10 years it was closed. During the months of March and April, the swing span was slowly demolished, then most of the western span, leaving only the bridge-closing mechanism in the river. By the end