ROYALSTON – Members of the Royalston South Village Revitalization Committee appeared at Tuesday’s Selectboard meeting, urging them to join an effort lobbying for the release of $1 million in the state’s economic development bond bill earmarked for work on the King Street Bridge.

Speaking for the RSVRC, Linda Alger provided the board with the copy of a letter sent by state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton to Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao, urging that funds be released for “design, engineering, repairs and improvements” to the bridge, which has long been closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

The funds would come from the $3.96 billion Mass Leads Act passed by the Legislature last November and signed into law by Gov. Maura Healey on Nov. 20. The act includes $100 million targeted to infrastructure improvements in rural communities.

While supportive of Comerford’s request, Alger said the committee felt the senator’s letter should have placed the importance of ensuring maintenance of the sewer line that runs beneath the bridge ahead of revitalizing outdoor tourism in Royalston.

“The sewer pipe underneath that bridge is the priority,” said Alger. “It’s an EPA issue. If something goes wrong with that sewer pipe, it’s less about the bridge at that point.”

The King Street Bridge and the sewer line that runs beneath it both span the Millers River.

“The South Village Revitalization group is willing to write a letter in support of that, along with a letter from you.” Alger told the board. “I think when you write a letter requesting support for this bond, we want to make sure our priority is the sewer line that runs under there, because if something happen to that sewer line, we’re in deep trouble.”

Alger said the RSVRC would still like to see a footbridge replace the King Street Bridge. She did point out, however, that any new bridge would still be able to accommodate emergency vehicles responding to incidents on the south side of the river.

“Even though we want it to be a foot bridge,” said Alger, “we have to be able to get equipment over there, so it has to be able to hold that weight.”

Alger added that the committee has expressed interest in the installation of a Bailey bridge, a portable, prefabricated truss bridge. She explained that a company consulted by former Selectboard member Rick Martin estimated the cost of a new bridge at about $4 million. She said a Bailey bridge might offer a less expensive solution.

“We’ll only be getting a million dollars if the money is released,” said Alger, “and if we go with the original plan of $4 million, we’re going to be waiting around for a long time, even if this $1 million gets approved.”

Alger also pointed out that release of the money in the bond bill requires the governor’s signature.

“That’s why we have to make it a big issue,” she said. “The sewer line runs under there. It’s also about economic development, but that sewer line is the big piece. We really need to plead our case, and I think it’s more of a priority than economic development.”

RSVRC member Mark Shoul suggested the Selectboard recruit the support of state Rep. Susannah Whipps, I-Athol and Director of Rural Affairs Anne Gobi and possibly the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers. It was also suggested that officials from towns downstream from the bridge, namely Athol and Orange, might want to support release of the earmark, since a failure in the sewer line would spread pollution to those communities.

Selectboard Chair Bill Chapman asked Public Works Director Jaret Thiem about the condition of the sewer line.

“The condition of the line is okay,” Thiem responded. “The line can be in perfect shape, but if the bridge falls in the water the line goes with it.”

Selectboard member Mark Thompson suggested organizing a site visit so that those the town hopes to recruit in its lobbying effort can see firsthand that the situation with the sewer line is somewhat precarious.

The Selectboard ultimately agreed to send its own letter in support of the earmark to Healey and secretaries Hao and Gorzkowicz, as well as reaching out to other local and state officials in the hope of garnering their backing for its release.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.