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Resident urges Dickinson County to inspect and stabilize Sand Springs bridge bank after reported erosion
Summary
A Sand Springs resident told commissioners the riverbank near the south end of the Old 40 bridge is eroding and carrying debris that risks damage to the bridge; commissioners and staff said they would review the site and coordinate with road-and-bridge and state agencies as needed.
A Sand Springs resident described damage to a riverbank and a nearby bridge approach during public comments at the Dickinson County Commission meeting on Sept. 11, and county staff said they would inspect the site and follow up.
“Go ahead and introduce yourself … I live in Sand Springs,” the resident identified as Alex Jones told the commission, saying he’d lived “in that river all my life” and describing repeated erosion that has cut into a bank near a bridge approach and left debris caught under the structure.
Jones said the water currently “comes into the bank on the opposite side” and that no dike remains in place where there once was protection. He urged the county to consider “rip rap to stabilize the bank or stabilize it, and the dike needs to be back in that area.” Jones said local trash and jams under the bridge are making the problem worse and that the site is important because it is a primary crossing that provides access to the south part of the county.
Commissioners and staff discussed possible next steps. County staff said Martin and the road-and-bridge staff would visit the site and determine whether the county, the state (Kansas Department of Transportation) or a combination of agencies should be involved. “We’ll take a look at it and see what we can do,” a county official said.
The meeting record shows the county inspected the site the morning of the meeting and reported a reading of 16.5 (context: field measurement recorded by staff); commissioners asked staff to follow up with photos and coordinate any needed repairs. The commission did not take a formal vote on the matter during the meeting; staff said they would report back and coordinate with the sheriff’s office and highway/public works as required.
