County updates multiple bridge projects; commissioners place $11,006.66 refund into bridge account pending clarification

County engineering staff provided construction updates on several bridges and told commissioners how the board directed a small state refund be placed into a nearby bridge account pending any required corrections.

Engineer Nate reported Bridge 180 — located near 650 West and 825 South — is at the backfill stage. The structure is composed of 11 six-foot sections (about 66 feet corner-to-corner), with stone backfill and pipe connections being installed to connect nearby fields. Staff said two corners will have guardrail and that a southeast drain originally field-fabricated will be upgraded to a traffic-rated frame and grate to handle potential farm-equipment loads.

Bridge 155 work began the week of the meeting with road closure for construction, milling of concrete and asphalt, removal of cracked concrete approach slabs, and a planned concrete bridge deck overlay. Staff said the contractor is out of Ohio and that the job is one of the county’s Community Crossings projects. The county noted coordination with farm operators for access during harvest and said the contractor has been responsive to on-site concerns.

The engineer also reported on Bridge 66 and Bridge 93, noting guardrail HSIP work and that engineering resources and draft agreements were moving forward for those projects. County bridge inspection deliverables from a contractor (Aegis BLM) were turned over and complete for 2025; emergency inspections will remain covered under contract until any new agreement begins.

Separately, commissioners discussed a recent state refund described as local-match money. County staff said about $30,000 of the refund was intended for one bridge account and $11,006.66 was for the South Adams Trails account, which is being dissolved. Staff recommended placing the $11,006.66 into a bridge account adjacent to the trails — referred to in the meeting as "QBridge" (transcript term) — until any later correction required by the state. Commissioners made and passed a motion to record that allocation in the minutes and to place the funds in the bridge account; staff said they would correct the allocation later if state guidance requires.

No construction contracts or new appropriations were approved at the meeting; staff said further action will follow bid openings and formal agreements.