More than three years after it was closed to the public, one of Goleta’s most treasured attractions remains in limbo.

The footbridge over the wetlands at Lake Los Carneros is fenced off and there’s little hope in sight for a repair.

The City of Goleta fenced off the bridge after a 2020 seismic report “found that the level of deterioration was beyond repair considering American with Disabilities Act requirements for accessibility and updated building code requirements.”

For locals, the bridge offered a scenic opportunity for people to view the wetlands on a walkway that connected the two sides of Lake Los Carneros at the 140-acre park. People could observe turtles under the bridge, watch egrets and other bird wildlife, and soak up the gorgeous views of the lake on one side and mountains on the other.

The city has no plans to reopen the footbridge.

The closure of the bridge also significantly extends the length of time it takes to complete the loop around the lake.

For the past three years, visitors must walk out of the park, and along Covington Way on the north side, and then enter back into the park area.

“It is an unfunded project with an estimated cost in the millions (of dollars),” city spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said.

“It is not currently an active project due to other priorities for the city.”

Hoover said there’s a separate plan to use grant funding to construct a short trail segment that will complete a walking loop around the lake. She said the date for completion is within the next year.

The Public Works Department is putting together an independent team to design and seek regulatory agency permits for removal of the footbridge, according to the city.

It will cost at least $500,000 to remove the 30-plus-year-old bridge and at least $2 million to replace it.

The city closed the bridge in 2020 when it determined that it was not structurally sound.

After that, the city hired an independent structural engineer who determined that the bridge was unsafe and “should be demolished and removed due to the significant level of decay.”

The bridge remains, but is fenced off.

City Councilwoman Luz Reyes-Martín said the bridge is a beloved part of Lake Los Carneros. She said “it is critical that we are able to replace the bridge.”

What makes the project complex, Reyes-Martín said, is that the city must coordinate state and federal regulatory permits to protect the sensitive habitat.

“It is essential that we continue to make progress on plans for the bridge replacement so that we can be ready to apply for grants or seek other outside funding when the opportunity presents itself,” she said.

It is her goal to find a way to move forward.

“We need to take a comprehensive look at all of our capital projects and ensure we are developing actual plans to deliver on these projects, instead of having them stay on a list for many years,” Reyes-Martín said.

“I am committed to doing all I can to move this project forward.”