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Rockville officials last week closed two pedestrian bridges they deemed unsafe until further safety evaluations can be completed.

The bridges, one spanning the Metrorail and MARC tracks near Veirs Mill Road in East Rockville and the other spanning Wootton Parkway near Lakewood Elementary School in the western edge of the city, were closed after an inspection by engineering consultants Greenhorne & O'Mara Inc. of Laurel revealed that they suffered from structural deficiencies.

Both bridges are similarly constructed and are experiencing corrosion of some of the steel supports and deterioration of the timber cribbing, said Craig Simoneau, Rockville's director of public works.

"The next step is to do a more thorough inspection," he said.

When that inspection is completed, the city will be able to decide what repairs to make, he said.

The inspections could be done as early as this week, Simoneau said.

"Is the bridge really going to fall down? No," he said. "We actually think the bridge is not going to fall down, but we don't want anyone to put a foot through the boards or have an accident."

He added that getting permission from Metro and MARC to complete inspections of the Stonestreet bridge over the tracks in East Rockville is difficult and has held up the inspections.

Detour signs have been posted at the Wootton Parkway bridge for students who use the route to walk to school.