Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners weigh liability, engineering and cost-share after county bridge closure on Kilowatt Drive
Summary
Following an Oct. 23 inspection that prompted immediate closure, commissioners heard that Walsh County owns the Kilowatt Drive bridge but the road is private; staff said engineering from KLJ is needed for repairs, two contractor estimates were reported and the commission directed the state’s attorney to review ownership and maintenance agreements.
County staff and local stakeholders spent more than an hour on Nov. 18 discussing the closure of the Kilowatt Drive bridge near Minto after an Oct. 23 inspection concluded abutment and piling failures.
Lucas Kelly, who asked the commission to review the closure and possible reopening, said the bridge closure is creating traffic-safety concerns at a nearby uncontrolled railroad crossing and limits one-way access for businesses. Jason (county staff) told the commission Collins Engineering’s inspection found abutment rotation and problems with support piles and that the county closed the structure after the report.
County counsel and other staff explained a complicated ownership history: a 1980 maintenance agreement indicates the county took responsibility for the bridge when it was built, but a later Supreme Court opinion described the road as private. Tom, counsel for the City of Minto, summarized earlier litigation and said that while the road remained private the county had accepted maintenance responsibility for the bridge in prior documents.
Commissioners reviewed two contractor quotes for repairs—one “just shy of $60,000” and another “less than $70,000”—but multiple speakers cautioned those repair-only quotes may not be sufficient without a full engineering review. Jason said KLJ-level engineering will be needed to properly assess repairs and that a temporary reopening without full engineering would be a liability.
Several commissioners favored pursuing a cost-share solution with local businesses that rely on the crossing, while others emphasized the county must first seek the state’s-attorney opinion to confirm legal responsibilities under the existing maintenance agreement. The commission directed staff to provide the maintenance agreement and deed records to the state’s attorney for review and to pursue KLJ engineering input to determine repair scope and accurate cost estimates.
Commission staff said they will return with the engineering assessment and clarified quotes; commissioners discussed but did not authorize immediate county expenditure beyond engineering and legal review. No definitive funding commitment or timeline for reopening was recorded during the meeting.
