Clear Creek County awards $375,500 contract to replace Silver Lake Bridge deck

Clear Creek County on Aug. 5 awarded a construction contract to ABCO Contracting Inc. to replace the entire metal deck and surface of the Silver Lake Bridge, the county’s public-works director told commissioners at a work session.

Lede: The 1980-built bridge provides the only vehicular access to the Silver Lakes neighborhood of roughly 55 homes. County staff reported the deck had widespread corrosion and a hole had developed through the corrugated metal deck under its gravel wearing surface; the state bridge inspection recommended repair.

Nut graf: Road & Bridge decided to replace the full corrugated deck and add an impervious wearing surface (asphalt) to limit future corrosion and to complete other maintenance items including cleaning and repainting steel members and repairing substructure items that support abutment soil. The low (and only) responsive bid came from a specialized bridge rehabilitation contractor: ABCO Contracting, $375,500.

Details: - Scope: replace full corrugated metal deck, install asphalt wearing surface, clean and paint steel members, repair failing cross-bracing and soil-support elements at the abutments. Staff chose to change from a gravel overlay to an impervious asphalt surface to slow future corrosion. - Cost and procurement: the county re-advertised the project after an initial summer solicitation produced no viable bids; ABCO submitted the single complete bid of $375,500. County staff considered the price reasonable for the work and the logistical traffic-control requirements. - Schedule and traffic: County staff said the contractor is targeting a September start to match the deck manufacturer’s schedule; if material lead times slip it may be October. Staff estimated a 2–3 week closure for the bridge while work is underway; a formal construction schedule and traffic-control plan will be required before work begins. A detour using local roads through the public-works facility and service roads will be posted; the contractor must provide a traffic-control plan for county, fire and EMS review. - Community impacts and mitigation: staff said they would notify the approximately 55 Silver Lakes households by mail and place variable-message signs for advanced notice. County staff also proposed shielding nearby animal shelter operations with temporary fencing during construction and coordinating with fire and EMS on emergency-access requirements.

Vote and next steps: Commissioners voted to award the contract to ABCO Contracting. Road & Bridge will finalize the construction schedule and traffic-control plan, notify CDOT inspection staff, and circulate detailed detour and emergency-access plans to local first‑responders and affected residents before construction begins.

Ending: County staff said the bridge is safe for now but needs the replacement work to avoid future deeper failures; the project aims to restore a durable, longer‑life surface and underlying deck for the neighborhood’s only vehicular access.