Bonner County OKs design contract with Keller & Associates for Coqualalo Loop bridge after procedural delay
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Summary
After procedural discussion about signature authority, the board approved a professional services agreement with Keller & Associates for design and permitting of the Coqualalo Loop bridge; the project already has $1.2 million set aside, and the design contract budget is $277,960 (time & materials cap).
The Bonner County Board of Commissioners approved a professional services agreement with Keller & Associates for design, permitting and construction observation work on the Coqualalo Loop Bridge project on Feb. 10, after an initial procedural motion failed and a clarified motion authorized administrative or chair signature.
Matt Mulder, engineer for the Road & Bridge Department, described the bridge as an aging 12‑foot span with steel beams on timber piles and a timber deck, with adjacent culverts failing and causing roadway reflection. "This bridge is definitely at the end of its lifespan," he said, and officials noted the project requires hydraulic analysis and FEMA coordination because changing the opening can affect upstream lake pools and downstream flooding. The county allocated $1,200,000 in unanticipated state revenues to the project to cover design and construction. Mulder presented a professional services agreement with Keller and Associates for design and environmental permitting with a budget of $277,960; portions are time and materials, so the county will not necessarily spend the full amount.
Commissioners debated whether the contract required individual board signatures or could be signed administratively by the chair. An initial motion to approve as a board signature failed on procedural grounds; a subsequent motion approved the agreement and authorized the chair to sign administratively (or provided board signature if deemed appropriate) so the work can move forward without undue delay. The board asked staff to confirm signature authority and ensure the agreement reflects the county as owner.
The engineering phase will include hydraulic modeling, FEMA elevation updates if required, and analysis of alternatives (larger bridge opening, concrete box culverts, or other options) to balance flood mitigation and impacts on lake levels. Further design choices and construction costs will be presented to the board as the project advances.