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Klamath County approves invitation to bid for weight‑restricted East Landau Valley bridge
Summary
The county authorized Public Works to issue an invitation to bid to replace the weight‑restricted East Landau Valley Road bridge over the Lost River, citing a sufficiency rating of 39/100 and an estimated cost of about $3.5 million; reuse of existing beams could cut costs by roughly $1 million.
Klamath County commissioners voted Jan. 20 to authorize Public Works to issue an invitation to bid for replacement of the East Landau Valley Road bridge over the Lost River.
Public Works Director told the board the timber bridge, built in 1967, has a current sufficiency rating of 39 out of 100 and is increasingly weight‑restricted, preventing fully loaded semi trucks from crossing. "We've serviced this as much as we can," the director said, and officials estimate the replacement at about $3.5 million. The director added that reutilizing beams already at the county road shop could reduce construction costs by "about a half $1,000,000." The board's motion to authorize the bid issuance passed unanimously.
The director said cap and pile issues and the bridge's age make continued piecemeal repairs unsustainable across a system of about 208 county bridges. The motion recorded the fiscal impact as "to be determined"; the board did not adopt a financing plan on Jan. 20.
County commissioners did not propose immediate permanent funding sources during the vote but emphasized the need to preserve bridge reserves to address future similar replacements. Next steps will include finalizing project specifications and public bid documents before soliciting contractors.
The board approved the invitation to bid during its regular meeting; no construction contract was awarded at this session.
