Banner Associates engineers summarized Codington County's bridge inspection findings during the commission's Oct. 28 meeting, saying 42 bridges are county-owned and 12 — about 29% of the system — are in poor condition. The firm said 10 bridges currently carry posted weight limits and that roughly a dozen bridges will likely require replacement in the next 10 years, with another four identified beyond that horizon.

Mark Yunker, a licensed engineer with Banner Associates, told commissioners the county's five-year plan currently lists more than $24,000,000 in bridge work, which Banner estimates would translate to a local share of about $7,800,000 for Codington County. Yunker said the South Dakota Department of Transportation picks up roughly 80% of Banner's inspection costs and the county covers about 20%.

Yunker highlighted several specific concerns. A timber-abutment bridge on a township road over the Big Sioux River is showing progressive rot; timber abutments, he said, typically last about 50 years and the bridge has been reduced repeatedly to lower weight limits. A bridge on County Highway 11 (Old Highway 81) shows beam-end corrosion and Banner recommended a load posting; the firm described that bridge as a 'sister' structure to another just north of Highway 20 that already received federal replacement funding.

Banner identified priority replacements and repairs. The Fourteenth Avenue Northwest bridge has federal funding and a contractor on site; Banner said the federal contract includes 275 calendar days and the project's overall deadline is Oct. 30, 2026. Banner also described a County Gravel Highway 2 (Cottonwood Street) bridge over the Big Sioux River as being in 'serious' condition with a 5-ton posting; Yunker said Banner will submit an application on the county's behalf before Christmas and warned the bridge could be closed in a future inspection cycle if funding is not secured.

The presentation included recommended maintenance actions that county highway crews can perform, such as riprap (rock) replacement under vulnerable abutments, guardrail repair, and routine cleaning of steel and decks to prevent long-term deterioration. Banner credited the county highway shop for previous self-performed repairs and urged continued preventive work.

Yunker and Josh Olsen of Banner Associates told commissioners that federal funding has supported several county bridge projects, including the Highway 20 bridge completed in 2025 and the upcoming Fourteenth Avenue Northwest replacement. They cautioned that annual state bridge funds (a roughly $15 million statewide program) are competitive and that large bridges can consume large portions of available state funding.

Commissioners thanked Banner for the briefing and acknowledged that the county's bridge needs exceed current local funding, noting they must continue planning and pursue federal and state grant programs.