San Juan County issues stop-work order after wing-wall failure at bridge project; investigation underway

San Juan County staff issued a stop-work notice for a bridge project after discovering a significant failure of a northwest wing wall on a bridge along County Road 3000.

County engineering staff reported they visited the site after receiving a contractor call and found a substantial failure that required excavation and further investigation. The contractor uncovered the area over the weekend and the county completed an inspection; staff described the damage as significant but repairable, with some parts requiring replacement.

The county issued a stop-work order to pause contractor activity while the owner, county engineer and the culvert supplier investigate and provide detailed engineering direction. A multidisciplinary on-site meeting with the culvert supplier (flying in from Texas) and engineering teams from Albuquerque and Phoenix was scheduled for Thursday.

Staff said the wing wall is both actively and passively supported and is attached to the culvert with a ball-and-socket type joint; it can be repaired independently of the culvert structure. The contract’s notice-to-proceed date was March 3, 2024, and the contract duration is 365 days; staff said they do not yet know the schedule impact but expect to resolve the issue quickly and lift the order as soon as possible.

The commission heard questions from members about whether cold weather would affect concrete work, whether the culvert had collapsed (staff said the culvert had not), and whether a new contractor might be needed; staff said there is no contract breach at this stage and they will allow the contractor to correct deficiencies unless the contract terms are violated.

Staff committed to public updates through county channels once more information about repairs and schedule impacts is available.