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Public Works outlines bridge and low-water crossing grant plans; recommends 20–25% local cost share
Summary
Montgomery County public works reported this week that the county did not receive awards in a recent statewide off-system/local-bridge round but is preparing other grant applications, including a lower-cost low-water crossing near Cherryville; recommended local matches of about 20–25% were discussed.
Montgomery County Public Works updated commissioners Sept. 8 on recent bridge-grant activity and recommended pursuing a low-water crossing project with a 20–25% county match if the commission approves applying.
Brandon (last name not specified), public works, told commissioners that the governor's recent off-system and local bridge awards distributed about $40.5 million across 27 projects; Montgomery County was not among the awardees. He said 163 applications sought about $189 million, and that competition is strong because the off-system program had shifted to 100% coverage of construction and construction engineering on some awards.
Public Works reported it had targeted several projects for the current cost-share round, including County Road 1400 near the sewer plant by Coffeyville and County Road 2800 near the Coffeeville Industrial Park. For the current round, staff recommended considering a low-water crossing near Cherryville — a lower-cost alternative to a full bridge — and suggested a local match in the 20–25% range to make applications more competitive while limiting county exposure.
On estimated costs, staff said a low-water crossing construction cost would be under $500,000; a 25% county share would be about $100,000 (construction only), with additional engineering and incidental costs on top. Brandon explained that the off-system program entry for low-water crossings typically focuses on construction and that engineering and right-of-way costs may still be county responsibilities in some cases.
Commissioners and staff also discussed waiting to pursue County Road 1400 through a possible Army Corps of Engineers planning fund, which might make a formal cost-share application unnecessary or cheaper. Brandon recommended holding off on a cost-share application for that specific project while awaiting Corps planning decisions.
No formal vote was taken; commissioners discussed percentages and directed staff to proceed with pursuing cost-share applications with a recommended 20%–25% match for the low-water crossing project if no cheaper federal planning option materializes.
Why this matters: bridge and low-water crossing funding affects county transportation capacity and public safety on rural roads. Matching grant decisions commit local funds and affect the county budget and capital plan.
