Bridge to be replaced

Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
 
The board of Weston County Commissioners voted unanimously on Feb. 4 to reconsider a motion made on Jan. 19 to remove the Old Highway 85 bridge and move forward with a replacement that was approved in April 2020. 
The motion made during the board’s last meeting caused two conflicting motions in regard to addressing the problem bridge, sparking concern from not only the Wyoming Department of Transportation but also citizens that utilize the bridge. 
 
In attendance at the Feb. 4 meeting of the commissioners were representatives from several local ranches, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., and local emergency organizations expressing the need for the bridge in the future. The concerns expressed ranged from emergency access for homes in the area to the additional mileage it would add for ranchers needing to access both sides of the bridge. 
Before making the motion last month, Barton said that he was unsure if the project is a good use of county dollars based on the current fiscal situation facing the state and local governments. Commissioner Nathan Todd echoed Barton’s concerns, stating that he was on the fence when it came to the replacement. 
Chairman Marty Ertman explained that previously the commissioners had supported the replacement, noting that the project would not begin until 2024 and that the money from the federal government is specifically for bridges. 
“This is our chance to get that bridge. We can debate economic development, but I’m not sure the railroad would not like having the bridge,” Ertman said. “We are getting a bridge for $400,000.” 
Commissioner Don Taylor chimed in, stating that while $400,000 is “pretty cheap” for a bridge, he is not sure if the timing is right with the fiscal numbers the government is looking at. 
“I am not for or against it; I want to read more,” Taylor said. 
Ertman added that despite the traffic study numbers stating that the bridge averages 191 vehicles a day, she personally sees the road being one of the busiest county roads, noting that GPS also directs people on the route because it is shorter. 
“I am not in favor of paying $4 million of anyone’s money for people to have a shorter GPS route or for a garbage truck to have a shorter route,” Todd said. “It is only $400,000 in county funding but that $3.6 million could be more beneficial elsewhere.”
Prior to voting on Feb. 4, Barton and Todd acknowledged that while the project will cost a significant amount of funds, the county should move forward with replacement. 
“I think it is probably a good idea. Look at the public involvement here,” Barton said, noting those in attendance to discuss the bridge. 
Todd added that the costs for bridge replacement now are hefty, but those costs  could increase in the future, reasoning that this is why he thinks the county should move forward with the plan to replace.  
The bridge was originally owned by the state but transferred to Weston County by quitclaim deed in 1967. The bridge is described as an Old Highway 85 Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge, located on County Road 1A, approximately three miles south of Newcastle. 
“The existing structure is a five-span wide flange steel girder bridge constructed in 1929. In 1949, US Highway 85 was realigned from the bridge heading south. The realignment widened and straightened the road meeting new road design standards established as part of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1944, which provided funding for the interstate highway system and a secondary system of principal secondary and feeder roads,” a WYDOT history on the structure says. “In 1963, the portion of US Hwy 85 from Newcastle to just south of the bridge was realigned to the west, bypassing the bridge.” 
Currently, according to WYDOT, the route is one of two accesses to the Newcastle landfill. The travel on the bridge will decrease once the landfill is closed in coming years, WYDOT says. 
The 90-year-old bridge is in deteriorating condition and has a low rating, according to the department.
“Therefore, the existing bridge will either be removed and replaced with a new structure meeting current design and functional standards. If replaced, the new structure will be designed for an HL-93 live load, and it will have a 26-foot clear roadway with two-inch wide curbs,” the proposal said. “It is anticipated that a new structure would be a multiple span steel girder bridge, which will allow BNSF to add track capacity in the future. An at-grade crossing will not be considered.” 
The estimated cost for replacing the bridge is $3,800,000 ($618,000 for design and $3,200,000 for construction). Removing the bridge without replacement had an estimated cost of $839,000. 
According to Laura Dalles, WYDOT’s District 4 Public Invovlement specialist, WYDOT’s approval of the project comes early on in the process and that it is under the county’s purview to identify potential projects and apply for funding. 
“This project is a partnership and will continue to be an ongoing partnership,” Dalles said. 
She noted that the funding will come 90% from the Federal Highway Administrations Bridge Replacement Off-System program and that the county will be responsible for 10% of the costs associated with the project. 
The purpose of the program is to replace eligible bridges that have structural deficiencies, physical deterioration, and/or functional obsolescence. The program is a federally funded bridge replacement program and applies to structures not on the federal-aid system. 
“This program applies to bridges under the jurisdiction of public authority, located on a non-federal aid roadway and open to the public,” the information states. “This includes city, town, and county-owned bridges meeting the qualifications.”