Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bridges topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County engineer: most bridges in good condition; two flagged for repair
Summary
KLJ Engineering reported inspections of 68 bridges for 2025: 62 showed no changes, 4 had improvements, and two had deficiencies (embankment erosion and timber decking wear). Commissioners credited the wheel tax for enabling $13 million in bridge projects since 2019.
Sean Mayfield of KLJ Engineering presented the 2025 bridge inspection report for Pennington County, summarizing inspections of 68 structures. He said 62 bridges showed no condition change, four projects were completed or preserved this year, and two bridges had documented deficiencies: embankment erosion and timber-decking deterioration on specific rural spans. No bridges had conditions classified as "critical" that require immediate closure.
Mayfield described planned replacements and preservation projects — including a completed replacement on Highway 1416 and preservation work on Old Hill City Road — and noted that one timber bridge near New Underwood is on a 12‑month inspection cycle and programmed for replacement. County Highway Superintendent Joe Miller confirmed staff is negotiating easements with some adjacent landowners and is pursuing state bridge-improvement grants for several grouped structures.
Commissioners highlighted the positive trend since 2019: the number of poor-condition bridges decreased from 24 to 8. County staff said roughly $13 million has been spent on bridge replacements and preservations since 2019, with the county contributing about $5.2 million and $7.0 million coming from federal and state grants — an outcome commissioners tied to adoption of a local wheel tax that helped secure matching grants.
The board asked staff to continue monitoring flagged structures, pursue replacement funding and consider scheduling preservation to avoid simultaneous bridge failures in closely grouped sections.
