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County approves YDOT bridge replacement permit with 2-year start requirement
Summary
Park County approved Floodplain Development Permit 6-25 for a three‑span bridge replacement on County Road 3XQ after staff said the design reduces backwater and flood risk; commissioners added a two‑year commencement window and required WYDEQ and Army Corps clearances.
Park County commissioners on Dec. 16 approved a floodplain development permit for a Yellowstone Regional/ YDOT‑led bridge replacement, saying the new structure should improve hydraulic opening and reduce flood risks.
Planning staff summarized the application from Tim Berger of Morrison and the applicant team, saying the project replaces an existing bridge carrying County Road 3XQ over the Greybull (referred to in packet materials as the Grebel/Greybull) River with a three‑span structure approximately 190 feet long and associated roadway work 200 feet south and 300 feet north of the crossing. Staff said the design increases the bridge opening from the existing 121 feet to about 210 feet total span in project drawings, and that the applicant’s fill calculations show net removal of about 82 cubic yards (307 cubic yards removed; 225 cubic yards placed), which staff said would not significantly increase flood elevations.
Why it mattered: staff told commissioners the larger opening will reduce backwater and the proposal includes scour‑mitigation riprap at the abutments, which engineers said would lower the risk of bridge failure and floating debris in high flows.
Commissioner questions focused on permit timing and regulatory clearances. Staff noted the permit is conditioned on evidence of a Wyoming water‑quality certification and either Army Corps of Engineers approval or a Corps determination that a permit is not required. Game and Fish had recommended seasonal timing measures and pre‑construction nesting surveys for birds; WYDOT and DEQ raised no blocking objections but flagged standard state/federal permits that remain pending.
Change adopted: Commissioners agreed to amend staff recommendation on permit duration: instead of a one‑year expiration date from issuance, the permit will be valid for two years measured from the commencement of construction. The board’s motion to approve the permit with the staff conditions and that 2‑year commencement clause passed by voice vote.
Next steps: the applicant must provide documentation of Wyoming water‑quality certification and any Army Corps permit decision before starting work, notify the floodplain administrator when work is complete and provide pre‑ and post‑construction photos, and permit remains subject to Park County development regulations and applicable state and federal laws.
